


The Divine Conspiracy

by Sephiratale



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: NSFW, Post Trespasser
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-22
Updated: 2017-02-05
Packaged: 2018-05-08 10:07:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 29,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5493347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sephiratale/pseuds/Sephiratale
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tiael Lavellan is back from the Exalted Council, decided to help Solas from himself. But her first fight is not the one she expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Break In

**Author's Note:**

> Here is my first fanfic of Dragon Age and in English, which is not my first language. 
> 
> I would like to thank Of Elves and Wolves for her amazing help, I'm forever grateful for her great work and kindness! 
> 
> I hope you will like this fic. I'll try to write as much as possible.

The quill slid slowly on the paper, writing each letter with care. Though the elven woman at the end of the quill was frowning, her strange red and blue eyes focused on not only her hand but the paper as well. Her fingers were aching, but she chose to ignore the stinging pain and continued in her writing. Though she had every intention of finishing her writing today. Sadly, her right hand did not agree with her mind; the quill gripped on the paper loosing control of the letter she was writing and spilling ink upon the floor. The elf watched the ink spill to the floor, biting her lips with maddening frustration. She failed…once more. Stupid hand which would not obey, stupid quill, stupid paper, stupid self. In anger she threw her things on the wall, her remaining hand pressing against her head.

“I wanted to see if you are alright, I guess I have my answer.”

She rose her head watching as her husband picked up the things she had so carelessly thrown. He set them on the table before coming to her, his brow creased in worry.

“Tiael…” He began, his voice softening in care.

“I can’t even write my own name!” she spat avoiding his eyes in her anger, before continuing on, “I feel so weak and useless.”

“You are not weak, Tiael. I promise you that.”

She felt the tears forming in her eyes yet again.

“Cullen… Please. I’m crying like a child.”

He knelt, their eyes equal height as he passed his hand through her long dark red hair. She leaned on the back of chair, a sigh escaping her lips. Rufus, their mabari, laid his big head on her knee, with a sad moaning. Idly she scratching the spot behind his ear.

“Darling, you’ve been through a lot lately. Give yourself some time, you’ve lost your strong hand…”

“Oh thanks for the information, Cullen. I didn’t notice loosing a hand!”

Though she did not wish to appear so aggressive and sarcastic, she was so tired of all of this since returning to Skyhold. Everyone was so nice and gentle, treating her as if she was little more than a fragile little thing.

“I’m sorry Cullen, it’s just… I’m tired of all this pity.” she explained, finding his eyes and taking his hand.

“I don’t pity you, Tiael. I only try to fight that lovely stubbornness of yours. And maybe help you avoid being too quick and strict with yourself-.”

“Because it’s never good to force the recovery.”

She completed his words with a sad smile upon her lips. That phrase etched in to her heart. He had spoken them a countless of times since the events of Halamshiral, always to try and help her.  
But sometimes, she just wanted to hear something else.

He remained silent for a moment, stroking her hair with care. He remembered how he had found her strong when she faced the Exalted Council after the attempt of invasion by the Qunari, after the loss of her arm. But when they returned to their home, to Skyhold, she was broken. The first days, she would not leave her bed; avoiding even her husband and his touch, her lips silent like a tomb. At the beginning he left her in her misery, not wanting to disturb her. Though she could not stay like this forever, she was even ignoring Rufus and his worried whines.

At his wits end Cullen had even called Dorian, explaining what was happening with Tiael, hoping she would listen if they appeared united in their worry for her. The mage had been mortified, to hear of her state. Wanting nothing more than to go back to Skyhold to care for his friend. Though his duties would not allow him to leave; he did agreed to speak to her through their shared crystal.

When the moment came to speak to her, she had been nothing less than shocked and furious to see two of the most important men in her life turn against her.

Eventually, the words of her husband and her best friend had found their way to her heart and she, with some reluctance, admitted they were right. The next day, Cullen was equally pleased and surprised to find her on her feet, watching the horizon. She smiled when he joined her, the first smile in days, even weeks; her first victory.

Now, she enjoyed the way he stroked her hair, her eyes closed in relaxation. The tension and anger leaving her face.

“Maybe…” he began with a pause.

“Maybe what?”

“Maybe you should go back to work, it may help.”

She froze at these words, swallowing with pain, her heart beating fast. Was she even ready?

She doubted herself, but maybe he was right.

Maybe the Inquisitor should be back. She could not stay forever in her quarters moping around like stick in the mud. She had chosen not to disband the Inquisition, she had responsibilities.

“You can tell Josie and Leliana we will have a meeting here tomorrow at midday.”

“To avoid spies?”

She nodded. He did not need to explain who those spies belonged to, she already knew. Though they avoided to speak about *him* for the moment, the wound betrayal was still too deep.

She used to think they were friends... at times still she thought it was the truth. She felt the phantom pain of her missing limb, it happened often when she reminded their last encounter. Her fist clenching in return.

“Will you go with me for a walk?” Cullen asked to get her out of her thoughts. “It’s been a while since you left the room, the fresh air will do you some good.”

She smiled.

“Perhaps you're right. I could use a walk.”

She took a cloak in her wardrobe, Cullen stood behind her. Even though he could help her with ease, she would hate that. Her pride still was too strong. He would only helped her if she asked.

A smile curled his lips as he watched his wife, she seemed to have found a technique to put on her cloak alone. He kissed her forehead and offered his arm to her. He felt her hand tightened around his arm, nerves taking her body, unaccustomed to the looks of her followers yet, but Cullen gave her a reassuring look.

She could do it.

She took one last deep breath; her heart beating fast when she entered the hall.


	2. In Tabernas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the new chapter, just before the end of the year! Hope you'll like it!
> 
> I would like to thank of-elves-and-wolves for her amazing editing job! :)

From the moment Tiael walked into the hall, every single set of eyes fell upon her with palpable silence. She wished for nothing more than to run to her quarters, taking safety in the warm blankets. She took a deep breath, steeling herself rather than give into the fear. 

It was only logical that everyone would be curious as to the state of their Inquisitor, for weeks, her face had been quite sparse from the grounds of Skyhold. 

The inquisitive looks of her Inquisition soon turned to polite smiles. Rufus, faithful and true, made his way through the hall, clearing a path for his masters. His tail swung in happiness as he arrived at the end of his journey, looking to his masters with only love and affection. 

She could not resist a smile, how could she deny such a happy dog?

Before long, both Cullen and Tiael joined the mabari outside in the court. The sun hung high in the sky, their faces warming with each ray, but they could still feel a light wind of winter. She could feel her husband’s comforting gaze upon her, waiting to decide where she wanted to walk.

She soon took to battlements, deciding for fresh air over another day inside. With a gracious smile she made every effort to answer the wonderful words of support from her followers. Outside, the looks were kind and the smiles warmed a bit her heart. 

Even if at times she could see the barest hints of pity in their gaze, she did her best not to focus upon it. The morning had been lovely, and so was her husband. Dark thoughts did not belong upon such a day, they would only serve to bring her back crawling under the covers once more.

Rufus was the first upon the battlements taking to his patrol and barking at the birds.

“Rufus! I think we can leave the birds alone.” Cullen chuckled a bit, feining with a false despair in his voice.

Upon hearing the voice of his master, the pup immediately paused in his tracks returning to Cullen’s side with speed, his tongue dangling through his mouth. The Commander smiled, affectionately petting the pup as a reward for his diligence. 

They continued their walk until they arrived near the Herald’s Rest where voices and laughter filled their ears. 

“I see the Chargers have returned.” Cullen said.

His wife did not answer, lost in her thoughts once more. He did not break her concentration. Whatever thought she became lost in, weighing upon her mind.

She sighed suddenly, closing her eyes.

“I need a drink.” She spoke with renewed assurance.

“Will you come with me?”

“I’ll be glad to share a drink with you.”

She smiled shyly, the first hints of a blush warming her cheeks as though it was their first stolen glances. She felt so ridiculous… He was her husband after all.

“Are you alright, my love?” Cullen asked, his brow furrowing in worry.

“I’m fine, don’t worry.” She began, “Shall we have this drink?”

“I follow you, my lady.”

Taking a deep breath, she descended the stairs and entered in the tavern. To her surprise, no one seemed to notice their arrival. The place was quite crowded. As Maryden left Skyhold with Cole, there was another bard now: a man with a nice voice, but easily forgettable.

Iron Bull and the Chargers were at their usual place, drinking and filling the room with bright laughter. Tiael and Cullen went to them without a word. The Qunari lifted his head, his pint in his hand. He smiled when he noticed the two.

“Good to see you, boss.”

“Good to see you’re back, Bull.” Tiael answered, sitting next to him as Cullen left to order the drinks.

“Have you fought another dragon?”

“That obvious?” Bull asked, a carefully suspicious look painting his features. 

“The song, it’s the one you all sing when you have killed a dragon.” the Inquisitor explained, something of a smirk curling her lips as she continued, “And quite awfully, if I might add.”

“Hey, we’re doing better!.” 

She rose an eyebrow, not really sure if the goal was to sound even worse than they had.

Her husband came back with their two pints and took a place beside her. She took the drink in her hand. “Strange.” she thought, it was heavier than she remembered. Or perhaps she was simply was not used to drinking with her right hand. She sipped her drink slowly before placing the pint on the table, her muscles already protesting under the weitght. 

She opened and closed her hand again and again, lost in her thoughts again.

The change was still hard to accept…

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a tap in her back, a cough of surprise escaping her lips.

“Nice to see ya back from the dead, Quizzie!” 

“Sera…” Cullen reprimanded.

“It’s fine, Cullen.” his wife assured him with a sure grasp of his hand. She turned to face the blond rogue, who seemed quite proud of her words. 

“Well? Not happy to see me?” Tiael asked, curiosity and amusement in her eyes. 

“Don’t be an arse. Of course I’m happy to see ya! But… Planned a prank to get you out of that stupid room, yeah? Useless now.” Sera said, falling on the ground with a disappointed face. “I was so proud of it... Oh well, someone else’s problem now. Just got to figure out who....” 

She laughed for herself, taking a pint on the table and drinking it. A shout came from the Chargers, Sera had taken Krem’s drink, which made her laughing more. 

Tiael felt a bit light hearted, as she looked around the tavern.

Some things never changed.

She had missed precious moments like this with her friends. Skyhold felt suddenly empty, so many of her friends moving on with their lives. Perhaps she should write to them, it wasn’t a bad idea even if her hand would not obey. Though the phantom pain did not allowed her to finish her thought. Silent fell around her and she realised she was clenching her right fist so hard that her knuckles went white. 

“Boss…”

“I’m fine, Bull, don’t worry.” she said more for herself. 

“No, you’re not.” Bull answered straight away, no hints of pity remained in his voice.

“Don’t forget I know how it feels to miss something.” he added, gesturing to his missing eye. “If you want to talk about this, you know where to find me.” 

“Oh, while I’m thinkin’ bout it. Widdle said she has somethin’ for ya.” Sera said between slurps. 

“I’m going to see her tomorrow. But now, let’s drink” 

The night grew on, soon coming to a close. Cullen blew the candles in their room, leaving only the light of the moon. His wife already in the bed, dark nightgown caressing her form. Her dark red hair sprayed on her shoulders, pale skin giving a beautiful contrast with the dark fabric of her gown.

The Commander’s breath hitched in his throat as it had every night, finding the view of his wife nothing less than breathtaking.

By the Maker, he was lucky to be married to this beautiful and strong woman. 

He joined his wife in the bed. The moon was full, lighting the room just enough to allow him to see her lovely features in the dark. She had turned, now she lying on her right side, simply watching him in silence.

He took a single strand of hair smoothing it behind her ear. 

“How do you feel, my love?” 

“Exhausted...as if I was back from a mission.” Her voice carried all the tiredness she felt, he guessed she was fighting against it. Though under the light of the moon, he could see every last exhaustion written upon her face.

“Well, as your Commander I can say that you did a spectacular job today.” he assured her before continuing, “Especially dealing with Sera.”

“Don’t be too mean, she’s cute in her own way and she helped my mood.” 

“Maybe I should thank her then.” 

She yawned, closing her eyes. 

“Maybe you should…” 

He passed a warm arm around her, stopping only when he felt near her shoulder. She briefly opened her eyes only to nod with a sleepy smile. His arm found her shoulder, then the end of her limb. She briefly shivered at his touch, even now it was still difficult to let him touch what was left of her arm. 

He brought her closer to him, watching her with a gentle smile. He found her lips for a kiss. When they broke it, she laid her head on his bare chest. 

“I love you” Cullen whispered. 

“I love you too” she whispered in return, her last words before falling into her slumber.


	3. The Tree Advisors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! The new chapter is here. Sorry for the waiting, but I have less time since I'm back to work. 
> 
> I want to thank of-elves-and-wolves for her great help :) 
> 
> And I wish to thank you too dear readers for reading (I know it's obvious) and leaving kudo
> 
> If you have a tumblr, you can find me here : http://sephiratales.tumblr.com/

The tea was perfect, the warmth of the tea mixing with the warmth of the roaring fire. Her advisors were all here, just as they had been before. It felt familiar, comforting. Josie could not hide a smile seeing Tiael back to the affairs of the Inquisition. 

At this moment, the Inquisitor sat reading the reports Cullen had brought to her. She missed so much during her time secluded in her quarters, but the reports were clear enough for her to understand the situation quickly.

The situation was terrible. Leliana had found many spies inside of Skyhold, people she knew, people Tiael trusted. Perhaps keeping the Inquisition intact was the best course of action, but her intuition had told her to keep the castle.

“That’s a lot of spies.” Tiael noticed, closing the report. “What have you done with them?”

“Nothing yet.” Leliana answered. “I wanted to wait for your orders, you were improving; there was no need for me to make a decision.”

The Inquisitor sighed, she did not miss making decisions such as these.

“I know you don’t like traitors…” The spymaster sighed, a heavy, weighted thing.

“If we want to bring back Solas to reason, it may not be the wisest idea to kill *all* his spies” Tiael interrupted, her throat tightening upon merely mentioning the name of The Dread Wolf.

“I can not understand why you still wish to save him, Inquisitor” Leliana added, bitterness laced in her tone.

The eyes of the Inquisitor went dark, the air, thick in the room. A furrow appeared over Cullen’s brow as he looked to his wife. Leliana and Tiael had their opposition on some subjects; the spy’s master had never hesitated to share her thoughts. But the Solas’ topic was still painful for Tiael.

Cullen wondered if he should have mentioned this to the other advisors. 

“Because I think Sol...Fen’Harel could *help* my people instead of trying to destroy our world. The elves need him.” Tiael answered, her tone even as she calmed herself.

_And because he was my friend._

“It’s a chance to find the truth about our past.” She finished, her voice stern.

“From what I understand, Fen’Harel imprisoned your gods, created the Veil and brought your people nothing but misery.” Leliana spat back.

“This conversation does not help us to find the answer for our question.” Josephine interrupted with a courteous smile. “What shall we do with the spies, Inquisitor?” 

Tiael breathed slowly, calming herself, the Josephine’s question was an excellent one, even she had to admit. She took her face in her hand, an idea forming in her mind. 

By the Makers, she really hated this kind of decision. 

“Josie, I’ve seen the Inquisition seems to have some financial problems.” 

“Yes, but nothing too important.” Josephine assured. 

“Are the rumors known? What are they about?” 

“A bit of everything. Some say we are ruined, some we try to hide our real health with this rumor. But I don’t really see how it will help for the spies.” 

“I don’t like to say this, but we need to let them go.” 

“If it’s only them, it will be a little suspicious.” Cullen noticed. 

“Shit!” mumbled the Inquisitor. 

She tapped her fingers on her desk beginning to bite her lips. Of course, she could judge them and kill them, it would be the easier solution right now; but a terrible choice in the long run. 

“We need a list of people we can send home, including the spies. We can use the rumor to our advantage. If our enemies think we don’t have enough money, maybe they would be less careful and make mistakes that will help us.” Tiael explained. 

“And it will avoid engaging potentially new spies.” Leliana said. “It must strongly advise to follow these traitors.” 

“Of course, I count on your spies, Leliana.”

The tension between them had fallen. Tiael felt so bad for these people, but she had made her decision and it seemed to be the best. 

Josephine suddenly cleared her throat, her quill in the air. All the eyes were upon her, waiting for her words. 

“What about Fen’Harel himself? We need more clues about how to find him, make him see reason.” 

“I…” Tiael began, trying to ignore the phantom pain of her arm. But her words remained caught in her throat. She tried not wanted to think on the pain these last days, knowing too well what mood it could bring. 

She felt her husband’s hand upon her, steadying herself she took a deep breath to find the strength within her.

“I had a discussion with Dorian few days or weeks ago, through the crystal. During our conversation, he said that he might have a trail but he needed more information. I can speak to him tonight.”

“Why not now?” Josephine asked. 

“He’s always busy during the day and he prefers to talk during the evening. That’s all.” 

She avoided the admission that Dorian wanted to speak in the evening because he found this nostalgic and a bit dramatic, just as he liked… 

It also didn’t hurt that he could avoid spies locked in his bedroom. 

“Promise, I’ll give him a call tonight. Are we finished? Dagna and Sera are waiting. I’m pretty sure I’ll be pranked if I’m late; I’m tired too to be honest.” 

“If you need to stop here, we stop here. Perhaps little walk to the forge will do you some good.” Her husband replied with a charming smile. 

“We will continue to work on what we discussed. When is the next meeting?” Leliana asked. 

“Tomorrow, same hour.” She answered, getting up. 

The two other women left the room, speaking to one another about the list they needed to make; which gave a twinge to the Inquisitor. She passed her hand on her forehead, a frown dotting her lips.

She had nearly forgotten the headache that came with this job. 

Cullen circled one arm around her waist and kissed her head lightly. It did not help the pain, but she felt a bit better with his lips upon her. She stayed a moment in his embrace, letting the pressure leaving her shoulders. 

“Do you want me to come with you or should I go back to work?” 

“I’m in selfish mood, come with me, please. I don’t know what they have planned for me, I would prefer not to be alone.”


	4. The three gifts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the new chapter, I hope you like it :)
> 
> Thanks to of-elves-and-wolf for her great help :)

The forge was always warm and comforting, despite the cold weather outside. Cullen ordered Rufus to stay in the hallway, the dog was still too curious and his master feared he could be burned. Still, with an eagerness Rufus sat down before the door, watching intently as his master's entered. Dagna was working with her strange instruments when Tiael and Cullen came upon her. With a smile, she rose her head and welcomed the two in.

“Inquisitor Lavellan! Commander Cullen! I didn’t expect you so soon!” she said, putting her instruments away. “Come in! I just need to find my little gifts.”

As they walked to the center of the forge, their eyes came upon an elven form on the ground. Sera by the looks of it, with an obvious pout on her lips. 

“You’re no fun, Quzzie.” the blond elf lamented with exasperated breath, “Second prank spoiled.”

“Hello Sera, I’m happy to see you too. I hope you're having a good day.” Tiael answered with an amusing smile curling her lips.

The Inquisitor crossed her arms, or at least she tried to, her smile never leaving her face. Sera stood up with a laugh.

“Looks less impressive without your arm, Quizzie. Have to find something else. Widdle, found your things?”

Dagna mumbled a vague answer which appeared to be a yes, though the Inquisitor was not all together sure.

“Do you need help?” Cullen asked when she appeared carrying not one, but three boxes.

“Na, I’m fine.” She put the boxes upon the table watching them with a proud face. Gently, she opened the first box. Inside the box, laying on a silk mattress was a prosthetic arm, colored in a light brown and covered with engravings that represented ivy.

Tiael looked upon the arm in utter silence, examining every detail. Her emotions were a mess in her head, as she tried to sort her reactions. Such a gift touched her deeply, feeling as though she did not deserve such a beautiful piece.

Seeing this prosthesis made everything happening around her more...real; the trials she had faced through during the Exalted Council, and the ones that would still await her. Finally, she allowed a smile.

“It is very beautiful.” she spoke, her voice thick with storming emotions, “I like the ivy.”

“I am so glad you like it! Let me explain how it works.”

Dagna took the arm and presented it before of the Inquisitor.

“Here, you have the fixation. You put it on the end of your limb, it should fit. Then, you tie the harness… Do you want to put it on yourself, or should I?”

“I can do it.” Tiael’s voice was sure.

She took off her cape, let it on the table. It was the first time someone other than Cullen saw her bare limb. Dagna fixed the prosthesis at the end of her arm and let her fixed the harness, the dwarven woman made an simple system to fix with one hand. Tiael moved a bit, her brows furrowing in curiosity. It was a very odd sensation…

“So, how does it feel?” Cullen asked, a bit worried.

“Strange...It’s much lighter than I thought.”

She rose the arm, her face suddenly very concerned.

“There’s something strange with the hand...”

“Oh no!” shout Dagna “Give it to me, there is something you have got to see.”

The arcanist stretched the arm and pushed a hidden button under the thumb. A dagger appeared from the separation between the palm and the fingers with nothing more than a light sound.

“Tadaaa! I hid a weapon in case you need it.” explained Dagna. “To be honest, it’s Sera’s idea. I hope you know how to use a dagger.”

“I was a hunter in my clan, I know how to use a dagger. How do I put it away?”

“Like this.”

Dagna pushed the button and pressed at the end of the weapon softly, clicking the thing back into place. 

“Now, we have the fun parts.” continued Dagna while opening the second box. “This is a crossbow, adapted for you. I know, you’ve always fought with bows, but this I think you’ll likl. You aim, you pull the trigger here and the arrow is shot. Wanna try?” 

“Er…” 

“Come on! You’ll be such badass with this!” Sera shouted with amusement.

“Badass enough to impress you *and* kick your ass?” Tiael asked with a false serious voice. 

“Yeah...maybe. Let’s see the third gift, yeah, I ordered it!”

The last box was bigger than the others. Tiael rose an eyebrow and found the eyes of her husband. 

“I hope it won’t explode.” Cullen said, as he watched Dagna opening the box.

“Nah, wouldn’t order somethin that hurts her!...but somethin that hurts her enemies, yes.” 

Once the box was opened, all the words died in the Inquisitor’s throat. In front of her, was a prosthetic bow, one of the most beautiful she had ever seen. Without hesitation, she took it in her hand, examining it closely. 

“Does she like it?” Sera discreetly asked to Cullen, worried by the reaction of her friend. 

Cullen let escape a smile, humming. 

“If she didn’t like it, she would make that weird face I know when she tires to lie.” Cullen answered. 

“Oh the one she had with the Orlesian stupid nobles?” 

“That is the one.” 

“I can hear you.” Tiael remarked to the two, her eyes still fixed on the bow. 

A moment of silence passed between them. Cullen had rarely saw his wife so focused on something. The bow was deep brown, also ornamented with ivy engraving. There was a fixation in the middle that seems to replace her arm, though she was sure that Dagna would explain how it worked soon after the examination. 

“It is...very elegant and splendid. I don’t...thank you, Sera.”she replied, emotions filling her voice with every word she tried to speak.

“Come on Quizzie, you’re gonna make me cry if you don’t stop! Have you seen the writing here?” Sera pointed her finger in the middle of the weapon. 

“From Bee to Quizzie” Tiael read with a little smile. 

“See? Can’t forget me now.” Sera giggled. “Widdle makes great things.”

“Thank you, Dagna.” 

“You’re very welcome, Inquisitor! Now, let me show you how to put it on. First take off your prosthetic.”

She obeyed, although she found the sentence strange to hear. She let the prosthesis fall to the table and listened carefully while Dagna was fixing the bow. As for the arm and the crossbow, it was very easy to put and surprisingly quick. Tiael took the rope in her right hand; an eternity had seemed to pass since the last time she had done this simple movement. She aimed and shot an imaginary arrow, the weapon was perfectly balanced for her disability. 

“You should try it on the training field.” Cullen encouraged her, getting her out of the thoughts she lost herself in. 

She shaked her head negatively. 

“I’m not sure it’s a…SERA!” 

The blond elf had taken the prosthetic arm from the table and was in front of the door with a mischievous smile. 

“If you wanna get it back, meet me on the training!” she shouted. Leaving the room running as Cullen looked a Tiael, who was watching the open door with a cold angry face. 

“Get back to work, Commander. I have an elf to catch.” 

She then ran, pursuing Sera, her bow still attached to her. 

Cullen let escape a sigh and smiling to Dagna with an excuse, containing a laugh. He joined his mabari, which immediately stood up following his master. Only stopping briefly on his walk back when he heard the characteristic sound from an arrow coming from the training field. 

Sera was sitting on the ground, the prosthetic arm on her shoulder while Tiael was learning how to use her new bow, under the comments of her friend. He could see his wife laughing, she was right about how Sera helped her with her mood. 

“Come on Rufus, we have work to do.”

He walked in his office.

Perhaps his wife would be fine afterall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've always seen Sera as a "de-dramatizer", always knowing how to change the situation in a good way.


	5. Night talks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter is here! Sorry for the delay, but real life caught me.
> 
> Thanks to of-elves-and-wolves for her amazing job!

Tiael sat at her desk, reading some reports yet again; night was slowly falling on Skyhold. With Cullen busy for most of the evening, her mind wandered to the crystal inside her desk. It had been sometime since she had spoken to Dorian, and she did miss him terribly. 

She stood up and opened a drawer next to her bed, taking the communication crystal into her hand. She laid upon the couch, hoping not to disturb him, for she knew Dorian was a busy man. Last time they met, he was arguing quite loudly, so loudly Tiael had rarely seen him so furious. 

She activated the crystal and it began to glow in her hand. She waited a few seconds listening closely to the noise coming from the thing. It seemed to be the light sound of quill on paper. Eventually, she heard her friend curse a few times and she smiled. 

“If cursing was good for health, you’d be immortal.” 

“For the moment, it might only give me white hair. But I must admit, I gain a certain charm with it’s appearance.” 

She heard him move and lock a door; a smile crossed her face as she heard the sound. He did have time for a talk.

“My dear Tiael, You have to answer some questions before I answer yours, because I know you have some.” Dorian said sitting comfortably in his chair. 

“I am ready to feed your curiosity, my dear Dorian.” 

“There is a rumor which is growing these last days. And I hope it’s false, because I would be terribly hurt if you did not tell me about it.”

“About what?”

“It is said you’re, my darling, are pregnant.” 

“Glad to hear that the Tevinter’s spies know my state better than me…”

“So you’re not with child.” 

“I’m not with child” the elf confirmed with an annoyed pitch, “And if I were, you would be the second to know.”

“Only the second?!” Dorian shouted with dismay. “Oh, I guess Cullen should be the first to know.” 

“Yes...And how, pray tell, did they guess that?”

“Apparently, you have begun to leave your room with a large cape on your shoulder. Couple that with the fact you were hiding for weeks…”

“I lost an arm, Dorian, this is why I wear a cape when I’m outside!” Tiael cut with irritation. “I see the news is spreading fast.”

“We are not the only one to use crystals, my dear.”

“I see...Can you answer my question now? Or will you still be upset about an non-existing baby?” 

“I guess you want to know about the Solas trail.” Dorian said with a conspiratorial voice. 

“I am still amazed by your capacity to read my mind, Dorian. You know me too well. But yes, this is my question.” 

“Apparently, there is an elven ruin in the forest, with rumors surrounding it. I sent a research team to investigate, they should be back in three weeks. Maybe it could be an occasion for you to come to Tevinter.” 

Tiael bit her lips, thinking in silence. Going to Tevinter seemed, at the same time, a good and a bad idea. Her heart was telling her to go, to leave Skyhold, to return to adventures. By the creators, she missed the adventures, the talks at the firecamp, the thrill of the fights. 

“Tiael dear, are you still here?” the mage asked. 

“Yeah...I was just thinking.” the woman spoke, pausing for a moment, “It’s not that I don’t want to come, but it’s a long way to Tevinter and I’m afraid Solas’ spies will suspect why I am there. I am sure they know about the elven ruin…They will know why I’m there.”

“I see, you need another reason to come and I suppose the fact you miss me is not enough…”

She made a short laugh, rising her eyes even if her friend could not see it. He was quiet, probably searching his mind for another reason for her to travel to Tevinter. She chuckled a bit a part of her was afraid of what his mind could find.

“My dear Tiael” Dorian interrupted her thoughts. “You are married, but you did not have a honeymoon, that’s such a shame.” 

“Indeed...you’re kidding, right, Dorian?”

“Absolutely not, my dear. I officially invite you and your husband in one of my homes for your honeymoon.”   
\--------------------

“He said what?” questioned Cullen, sitting on their bed. 

“He invited us to spend our honeymoon in Tevinter!”, Tiael shout angrily, pacing up and down in her nightgown, unable to sleep despite the late hour, “One day, I’m gonna kill him! I swear!”

Cullen let her sit and fume with her curses, it was a habit for her and also for Dorian. The Commander had heard Dorian with his own sets of curses against her many times when he lived among them at Skyhold. At first, the Commander had found this behaviour between them somewhat strange. Now, to his amusement, he would find strange if they did not curse against each other. 

Even if he knew they would fall in each other's arms when they would meet again. 

As she passed by him, he quickly caught her arm to stop her frantic steps. Tiael let out an exasperated sigh and sitting on the bed with him. She laced her fingers to his, calming a bit thanks to his touch.

“Darling, maybe you can calm down and explain me why his invitation bothers you so much.”

Her eyes stared towards the balcony, avoiding him as she gathered her thoughts. Screaming at Dorian would not help the situation. Cullen was right, perhaps she did need to be more calm. 

“If we accept, it means we will leave for at least two months. When we fought Corypheus, I used to leave for weeks, I know, but I was always worried to find our home destroyed or invaded.” Tiael explained nervously, without taking her breath, “This time, the Inquisition will be without its Commander too, it’s risky, our enemies will suspect something. I do really want to return to adventures, but I don’t know if I can, Cullen. My arrows were in the center of the target, but I don’t know how I will shoot during a fight and…”

Cullen’s hand found her cheek and she began to breath slowly. The daunting notion of traveling to Tevinter sent her nerves on edge. It was not like her, she was not usually so easily frightened. 

“I don’t know what Fen’Harel has planned, but I’m sure of one thing, Tiael. You will regret not leaving for Tevinter if he wins. I know it’s hard to return on the battlefield, or on adventures after a trauma. Trust me, I know.” the man paused, smoothing her hair, “We don’t have to be alone on this trip. If it helps you to feel safer, we will not leave until you are ready. Do not worry for Skyhold, Reylen will take care of the troops and we can trust Josie and Leliana for the rest.”

“And remember that officially, our titles are only honorific now, we can leave when we want without too much suspicion.” Cullen smiled as he reassured her, curiously watching her reaction. 

He felt her hand press his as she began to smile. She pressed her forehead against his softly, while his other arm smoothed down her back bringing her closer to him. 

“I must admit”, He began confessing, “I would really enjoy a honeymoon with you, Mrs Rutherford.” 

“I think I would enjoy that too.” 

She closed the short distance between them and kissed him with an exquisite tenderness. Her hand catching him by the neck with an eagerness. The perspective of having a break with her husband enlightened her hardened heart. Even if the honeymoon was the “official” explanation for their journey into Tevinter, she was pretty sure that Dorian would plan something for them...like a real honeymoon. 

The hands of his husband slid to the crest of her thighs, gripping them and lifting her on his lap; she let a sweet moan of surprise escaped her lips; a light of desire burning in her eyes. She tilted her head, opening her mouth to deepen the kiss. She suddenly felt the mattress under her back, his mouth leaving her lips to meet the soft skin of her neck as he moved to meet her upon the mattress. His hands sneaking under her nightgown caressing her leg. 

It had been so long since she accepted such an intimate act. Right now, she needed to feel him, to feel their love. 

Cullen entwined his fingers with hers, while his lips found the beginning of her breast. Suddenly, she tensed under his kisses, he immediately stopped and found her eyes. The light of desire was gone, replaced by anxiety. 

“I can’t...Sorry…” Tiael murmured. 

He smiled and kissed her lightly. 

“My love, you don’t have to. I’ve always told you to take your time, it also applies for this.” He assured, laying beside her and wrapping an arm against her body. 

She put her head on his torso, listening to his calm heartbeat. His hand was slightly stroked her hair as a comfortable silence fell between them. She began to be more relaxed as sleep reminded of its existence.

She fell asleep, mumbling a vague “good night”, safe in his embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find me on http://sephiratales.tumblr.com/ :)


	6. One more voyage to go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The new chapter is finally here! :) It was hard to write, sorry for the delay
> 
> Thanks to of-elves-and-wolves for her help with the text!

After a few weeks of preparation, the War Council was meeting to discuss the last details before Tiael and Cullen left for Tevinter. This evening, a new addition to the Council joined them.

The Iron Bull. 

They stood leaning upon the table, where the crystal of communication was lying, prepared to call Dorian and involve the man in the talks. But for now, they waited for the new magister to call them.

But Tiael’s was preoccupied comparing prosthetics in her mind. Dagna’s craftsmanship was amazing, her left hand even boasted nails at the end of it. It was so full of details she could gaze upon it for hours at a time.

The thought helped to hide her wish to kill Dorian because he was terribly late, not even fashionably late…Still, even with her hand to gaze upon in wonder, she still felt annoyance at her friend’s lateness. 

“Maybe someone should have brought cards for Wicked Grace” Bull began. 

“No!” Cullen shouted in return. His lips turned a scowl, true to his heart. 

They all laughed in return, even the Commander after a brief blush of shame. All in that room remembered the card game which happened few years ago. Cullen had received a knock in his honor that night, but now he could at least joke about it. 

Tiael remembered Dorian’s comments when her husband had fled naked from the table. Dorian had found the Commander’s butt quite charming and commented that Tiael was a very lucky girl. And he would be a very lucky man if he decided to call them, she was tired of waiting. Patience was not one of her strong points. 

“Bull, are you sure you want to come in Tevinter with the Inquisitor and the Commander?“ Leliana said idly. “It will be dangerous. Even with the official accreditations Dorian will give you and Lieutenant Alcassi.” 

“I went into the Fade, Tevinter is nothing compared to that, Red.” Iron Bull answered, his voice serious. “Besides, I won’t leave boss’ side. I’m not sure the Vints will be stupid enough to attack me. Not that they’d need it I’ll give information about the Qun.” 

The crystal began to glow a signal that Dorian was calling, Tiael letting out a sigh of relief before activating it. 

“For once, I am not responsible for the lateness.” Dorian’s voice emerged from the glowing stone. “A bureaucrat kept me three hours extra for the authorisations I should give you. I hesitated to cut his tongue. Anyway, I’m finally here.” 

“Good evening Dorian, I suppose everything is okay with the authorisations for the Inquisitor and her followers.” Josephine asked with a quill in her hand, prepared to write down every word. 

“I hope so! Otherwise I swear I will plant his quill directly in his head for making me losing so much time.” the mage answer with exasperation. “So, when will the little group will be crossing the frontier of Tevinter?” 

“In two weeks, if everything goes as planned. According to your suggestion, we’ll be crossing at the border point near Perivantium.” Cullen explained watching the map. 

“Good. I will send a patrol to welcome, don’t forget you will need to leave the Chargers there. Only Iron Bull and Krem are allowed into Tevinter. I won’t be there myself, because of some stupid administrative things. But I will wait for you at my countryside house.” 

The mage continued to talk with Cullen about the details of their trip, but Tiael was not listening anymore; her mind focused on a precise place on the map of Tevinter. Why had she not seen before? Why no one had seen that? 

“Solas...” she let escape.

“What Solas?” Bull asked. 

“You have a town called Solas in Tevinter!” Tiael shout. 

“Yes. And before you say something about the obviousness of the name, it is not linked to him. Two or three hundred years ago, some enslaved elves tried to obtain their freedom. The last fight happened in this city. Before dying, the elves were screaming Solas! Solas! The town kept the name.” Dorian explained with calm. “This is the official and historical explanation.”

“And the ruins, where are they?” 

“Closer from Perivantium than from the town of Solas. Though to be honest Tiael, Solas would not leave any evidence there. He is quite intelligent after all and a pain in the ass to find.” He concluded. 

Tiael could not help but smile, despite the pain that began to grow in her missing limb. Would it ever stop? She tried to focus on the talks. 

“Do we have anything else to discuss?” Josephine questioned, finishing writing on her paper. 

“No, we have everything planned. Let’s just hope reality will follow our plan” Leliana sighed. “Now, you should prepare for the travel, Inquisitor. As I suggested before, it is better for you to leave in the middle of the night.” 

“But first, Krem and I have something for you... the Chargers uniform!” 

With a proud, and frightening, smile, Bull put a box upon table and opened it. Tiael’s face twisted funnily seeing the green and quite worn uniforms. 

“I thought you would have learned some fashion style with Dorian.” Tiael said with a little pout. 

“I tried to teach him something, but his mind is as stubbornly hard as his horns!” Dorian complained through the crystal. 

“Are you sure you’re talking about my horns?” Bull asked with a cunning tone. 

“Hugh…” the voices of Tiael and Dorian made a perfect choir of exasperation. 

Cullen took the clothes, his face trying not to betray what he thought of them, instead he watched his wife. 

“Time to pack and change?” 

Her only answer was the gesture of taking the uniform with a groan and rolling eyes. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The halla rose her head when she heard the footsteps of her master. Neighing when she saw the carrots in her master’s hand. 

Tiael patted the head of the halla greeting her and giving her a carrot. She’d changed and was now wearing the chargers uniform; waiting for everyone to be ready. This time, her halla could not be with her. She and Cullen should been taken for members of the Chargers rather than themselves, the beast would not help in this matter.

She petted Bitty, a name given by Varric to the halla after eating part of his mantle.

Explaining she would be leaving for a while, but Master Dennet would take care of her, Tiael continued to pet the beast. She promised treats, walks, and more when she returned. The Inquisitor felt a bit guilty being so distant from her halla, even if they make so few little walks those last few days. And now Tiael would leave for few months.

She would miss her company most of all, as well as bad temper with the others. The halla hardly tolerated Cullen, but she surprisingly went along with Rufus. Bitty gave her a little knock of her head, showing she was happy. Suddenly, she shook it angrily and Tiael turned looking behind her to find The Iron Bull. 

She was still impressed by his capacity to surprise her. 

“We’re ready to leave, boss.” 

She briefly closed her eyes, a knot of anxiety forming within her stomach. 

“Not easy to get back on the road after all of this” Bull noticed. 

She looked to her prosthetic hand, hidden under a glove. 

“To be honest, I’m terrified Bull. I still don’t know if I’m able to fight correctly and I’m afraid of being a burden for everyone.” She confessed, knowing she could not lie to him.

“Don’t let your fears swallow you, Boss. Losing a hand or an eye requires adaptation, physically and mentally, but you will succeed.” His voice left little doubt as to the truth in his words, and it reassured her. 

They joined the others at the entrance of Skyhold, a happiness filling the air. Cullen appeared in the little crowd with two horses, Tiael bit her lips to avoid laughing as the Chargers uniform was truly not meant for her husband.

She climbed upon a horse, thanks to a technique a former soldier had taught her. Few seconds later, she and Cullen were both on their horses, next to each other. When Bull was on his giant horse, the conversation ceased. 

“Chargers, we march!” 

And the little troop left the castle in the middle of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to estimate the time the travel will take, I'm sorry if it is not accurate...numbers a not my friends ^^''
> 
> For the town of Solas, I totally invented the story, because I really think the Dread Wolf would not leave such evidence.


	7. Shadows in her heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the new chapter ! 
> 
> I want to thank martini-september for her great help =)

The little troupe was on horse for a week and a half and the general mood was as foggy as the weather. 

 

Traveling was, as everything had been, both good and bad; however the past days were leaning toward the ladder. The boat trip took longer than planned and they couldn’t even stay in Kirkwall for one night to see Varric. Since they had left the city, the weather had been wet and the fog seemed to follow their every move. Sleeping in a tent meant a mixture of chills and humidity, which made Tiael’s hair untamable. For now, she was only dreaming of a hot bath and a decent night of sleep. She had also discovered as of late that her left arm became painful with the poor weather, though she were already an old woman. By the Creators, staying locked in a room had made her as soft as an Orlesian noble. 

 

Something was wrong with the forest they traveled through. It was too quiet, and the hunter inside her was on guard. She had exchanged a few looks with Dalish as they trekked on and the blond elf seemed to have the same intuition as her. 

 

With her right hand, Tiael grabbed her prosthetic crossbow, which was hanging on the side of her horse. She attached it to the stump of her arm while her horse trotted up to the Iron Bull. 

 

“We’re being followed,” she murmured to him. 

 

“Was afraid so. Both you and Dalish have been quite agitated.” the Bull answered, turning his head towards Cullen. “And your dog looks ready to jump into a fight.” 

 

“Rufus is Cullen’s dog, particularly in these moments.” Tiael said with a little hint of amusement. “I don’t know if our followers are hostile or not.” 

 

“Bet they are. I’d go so far to say I know  _ who _ they are, boss. Remember the last village we crossed?” 

 

“Yes?”

 

“Bunch of guys that were playing dice outside the tavern, they were mercenaries, even if they tried to hide it by looking like inhabitants. The people of the village were too afraid to face them, but we’re not,” the Qunari assured her with a mischievous smile. 

 

He made a quick gesture to inform the Chargers to have their weapons at the ready. As the Bull liked to say:  _ attack is always the best defense.  _

 

Dalish shot the first arrow and a scream was heard beyond the trees. The arrow was quickly followed by a focused and silent Rufus, who made a jump to catch one of the enemies by the throat. 

 

Their opponents decided to attack them whilst screaming with rage; which was quite an awful idea. People were hard to see in such a dark forest, and the shrill sound indicated their positions. 

 

Tiael aimed her crossbow, praying to fire accurately, and halted her breath as she pulled the trigger. The bolt drove into the shoulder of a swordsman - not where she had wanted but at least it had stopped him and allowed Rufus to finish the job. 

 

Feeling her horse begin to panic, she jumped onto the ground and aimed toward another target. She briefly saw Cullen knocking a man to the ground and then Iron Bull ending his life with his greataxe. 

 

Another shot, this time in the throat. Her surprised victim reached for the deadly wound as blood flowed from his mouth. He fell near his staff, and Tiael realized she had killed their mage.

 

_ Score one for me, _ she thought. 

 

An aggressive sound prompted her to pull her dagger out with her right hand. A spark and the sound of two daggers clashing together followed. She moved as quickly as possible to avoid the offending blade, but felt a scratch on her arm and the well known pain of a cut. She hit her enemy with her crossbow, managing to destabilize him and then slicing at his ugly face. She twisted her wrist to drive her dagger into one of his eyes, pushing it with all of her strength through his head. Blood, and something she preferred to  _ not _ think about, ran down her arm as the man became a lifeless ragdoll. 

 

The fights ceased around her, as they had won without too much damage. Tiael did not move, watching the body at her feet. It was the first time she had killed since… the Exalted Council. She had nearly forgotten the awful sensation of killing another individual, even if they were enemies and she needed to save her own life. 

 

Yes, she loved the thrill of a fight, but the resulting death... 

 

In that moment, she also remembered how much she had hated to judge people, to have their life in her hands. Other people took joy in playing with power, but herself...

 

_ “I take no joy in what I must do. “ _

 

Those words strongly resonated in her mind. She clenched her jaw and closed her eyes, trying to ignore the phantom pain in her missing arm; more a reminder of their encounter than an actual hurt. It was not the first time she had realized that both she and Fen’Harel had many things in common. But she would prefer not remember it when she needed to fight him, although she still hoped to bring him back to reason. After all, he had said he would treasure the chance to be wrong once again… 

 

_ Fenedhis, may he curse himself!  _

 

She heard Cullen coming, Rufus panting next to him. She felt his hand on her back, it comforted her a bit. His eyes widened when he saw her clothes ripped at the right shoulder and all the blood on her arm. 

 

“You’re wounded!” he exclaimed. 

 

“Just a scratch. The blood on my hand is not mine.” she replied in a pensive tone. “Where is Stiches?”

 

“With Rocky, he took a bad knock to the head.”

 

“How is he?” She asked worriedly. 

 

“He was stunned for a while, but Stitches was bringing him back with us when I joined you. He was groaning that the smelling salts were awful to inhale. “ he reassured her. 

 

Smiling, she sighed with relief and followed Cullen to the healer and the dwarf. Rocky was sitting on the ground, a bandage on his head. Stitches lifted an eyebrow when he saw the wounded Inquisitor, but he did not worry as he was examining the cut. He said it was not bad, the cut was clean and it did not need to be closed. He put a balm and a bandage on it, and told Tiael she would need to keep it on until she went to sleep, as the wound would need to breathe during the night. 

 

The Iron Bull gave the order to march, as they needed to find somewhere to sleep before night fell. Tiael found her horse and pouted under the curious look of Cullen. 

 

“Can you help me? With my cut, I can’t really move my right arm.” Her voice could not hide her wounded pride.

 

Cullen lifted her onto her horse, trying not to overstep his help. She thanked him with a little nod while he climbed onto his own horse, and then they joined the rest of the group. 

 

\-----------------------------------------

 

Finally, the fog had managed to disappear just before the Chargers found a place to stay for the night. For once, it would seem they would not need Rocky’s grenade to light a fire. 

 

The air was still humid, but less cold than the other days. If Dorian was there, he would say that they could already feel the sweet and great weather of Tevinter. 

 

As Tiael could not help to pitch the tents, she was taking care of the horses, giving them treats and brushing their manes. The wound on her arm was only an annoying itch at this point. Normally, she would tease the others by giving stupid orders or saying they weren’t working quickly enough - a harmless game they had. But today, she was not in the mood for that. The earlier fight was still fresh in her mind. 

 

Before today, despite the bad weather and the lateness, the travel as a whole was an opportunity to be with good friends again. But the fight earlier had reminded her that she…  _ they _ were on mission; even if those enemies had attacked them by chance. In a few days, they would cross the border of Tevinter to see an ancient elven ruin with the foolish hope to find something to stop Solas. 

 

It was  _ far _ from a nice journey with friends or the honeymoon they had officially left behind - it was, in actuality, a desperate quest to save this world. 

 

Why was there still such a burden on her shoulders, even now? Was she still strong enough to carry it all despite a missing arm and the weariness she began to feel? What would she lose  _ this _ time?

 

A little bark snapped her out of her thoughts. Rufus padded next to her and sniffed the horse, curious and careful. As Tiael suspected, his master was following close behind. She rose an eyebrow, surprised to already see him. 

 

“You’ve finished preparing the camp? I didn’t hear an explosion for the fire.” 

 

“It would seem the fire just needed a fireball from the non-mage archer, tonight.” Cullen explained, his hand idly finding her right one. “Would you like to explain to me what is troubling you?” 

 

“The usual ‘can I do this, am I strong enough?’ matter,” she sighed, briefly closing her eyes. 

 

“Tiael, I have trust in your strength. But remember you don’t need to carry this burden alone. Saving this world is a feat for  _ all _ of us. Don’t forget the letter you left to Varric to find new allies, you are not alone in this fight.” 

 

“But I  _ do  _ feel alone, Cullen,” she emphasized, avoiding his eyes. “Hawke told me once that there is  _ always _ a part that leaves you lonely if you carry a title such a Inquisitor, Champion or Warden. And I agree.“

 

Cullen carefully took her in his arms. “You are so much more than a title. Let me break this barrier, let me prove to you that you don’t have to be alone,” he murmured to her.

 

She closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of his cologne. She wanted to trust him, to believe in his words; she wanted to be naive enough to let those words be true. But the solitude in her heart would not leave, and she knew it… 

 

_ He who hunts alone _ , another name for Fen’Harel, another thing she had in common with him. It was a strange thing to think about how similar they were, even if they were on opposite sides now. Maybe it was one of the reasons she and Solas had become friends, because he understood what she felt; of course he could understand the burden of a name. 

 

Tiael kept her thoughts to herself, not wanting to worry her husband more. Raising her head, she met his golden eyes and smiled. 

 

“I’m glad you’re here.” 

 

Cullen held her harder, then kissed her tenderly. She, in turn, gripped at his mantle and slowly deepened their kiss. She had always felt safe in his embrace, as if he could shield her from the world and all of its troubles. 

 

Tiael couldn’t lie, she was glad to have him at her side. She could express her doubts and let her Inquisitorial shield disintegrate, for once. 

 

Ending the kiss, she laid her head against her husband’s shoulder. 

 

“Hey, lovebirds!” shouted Rocky, who was already back on his feet. “We’re waiting for you to join us to eat and I’m very hungry!” 

 

Tiael couldn’t help the smile on her face, hearing the dwarf. He became quite sassy and grumpy when he was hungry; which offered rather funny moments. She left Cullen’s embrace and they returned to the camp, while Rufus was still busy making friends with the horse. Tonight, Grim was cooking a meal which vaguely looked like a stew at first glance. 

 

At the very least it smelled good. 

 

The other Chargers had opened bottles of Chasnid mead and already had drunk a few of them. Tiael and Cullen sat on a dead trunk around the fire, a bottle offered by Krem in their hands. 

 

With a great internal effort, the Inquisitor fought her thoughts and attempted to enjoy the quiet moment with the Chargers. She had missed being around the campfire, the talks they had shared, and she would not let her mind spoil this evening. She listened intently to their version of the glorious fight against the mercenaries. Iron Bull was apparently very proud of fighting alongside Cullen - they had made a good and efficient team. 

 

“You should be a member of the Chargers, Commander!” Krem shouted. 

 

“No.” Cullen’s answer came from the heart and left absolutely no hope for the Tevinter. 

 

“That’s too bad, the uniform suits you well,” Tiael teased, hiding her laugh behind her bottle. 

 

Cullen rose a brow, her lie was too obvious to believe, she had been quite clear about how she despised these clothes. He did not contradict her, too happy to see her laughing at her own awful joke. 

 

Grim made a noise to indicate the meal was ready. With the weather being better and their stomachs being full, the party took the time to laugh, sing horribly and tell supposed true stories; which seemed more like fairy tales, in actuality. Iron Bull decided to talk about the first time he and the Chargers had fought a high dragon with Tiael, Cassandra and Dorian. The Inquisitor would sometimes raise or furrow her brows, as she and Bull didn’t exactly have the same memories of that particular fight. 

 

Well, except for the moment when Bull was standing on their enormous kill, screaming of victory with his axe in the air, while all of his teammates were trying to catch their breath, exhausted by the battle. 

 

She did not have the heart to set the record straight, to admit that their clothes were all burned (which fortunately it had been raining) and some parts of their bodies had actually lost hair. It was farfetched from the tellings of Bull, where the weather was perfect, the weapons were always hitting the right spot and the dragon had put up a great fight but held no chance against them. 

 

The stories went on and on during the meal and throughout part of the evening, until Iron Bull sent everyone to bed with a paternal tone. Climbing into her tent, Tiael stopped when she saw a strange fragment of wood lying on the ground. She took it in her hand, removing the earth covering it. Her heartbeat ceased briefly when she recognized the sculpture. 

 

“Well...shit.” she uttered to herself. 

  
In her hand was a carving of the Dread Wolf. 


	8. Heat and wait

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally here! 
> 
> Sorry for the delay, but you know how life is. 
> 
> I want to thank GuileandGuile for the great help, thank you so much again!

The sun was high in the sky, its rays hot, its heat stifled at the frontier post of Tevinter, though it was not yet even midday. The Chargers were waiting under a tree, the shadow of which barely offered a fresh moment of respite. The escort troop did not seem to be ready for its task, as they were not here yet.

With her hair tied the best way to avoid touching her shoulder, Tiael leaned on the trunk, her eyes closed and her clothes rolled up not to suffer too much from the heat. Her uniform was awful to wear in everyday circumstances, she could not wait to be in a decent place and change her clothes, after a good bath.

The border guards watched them with suspicion, ready to draw their weapons. They tried to provoke a fight, as they were bored at this post; but Krem talked to them and managed to calm them down.

Rufus suddenly exhaled a loud sigh, followed by a low bark. Tiael opened her eyes, maybe it was a sign. No… the dog merely dreamt, lying at his master’s side. A short draft eased the heat, which allowed Tiael to gather her thoughts.

 _Had the raven been sent? Yes_ , Bull sent it before they laid eyes on the frontier post; so the escort troop would be here when they arrived. Maybe Tevinter wanted to show them the Inquisition was not so welcome in their land; Dorian had struggled to obtain the authorization for them to enter.

To kill her boredom, she observed the others. Cullen sat nearby, playing chess with Grim; Rufus slept, with his head on his husband’s lap. A distant yell made her turn her head; Krem trained on his own, as he was the only one of them used to the heat of his homeland he also kept watch on the guards. A snore brought her attention next to her. The Iron Bull napped, but Tiael figured he merely pretended to sleep, ready to get on his feet in an instant if need be.. Humming, Rocky worked on his grenade, a bit away from the group. The two elves chatted, Dalish teaching her language to Skinner, who was a poor student. The Inquisitor closed her eyes once more, hoping the patrol would arrive soon.

After a moment, maybe an hour, Tiael needed to move a bit as the sun directly shone on her through the leaves. She grumbled a bit against it and its stupid heat, before trying to rest. Her mind wandering in the cold mountains of Skyhold.

The sounds of horses approaching roused her and agitated the rest of the team. The frontier guard straightened up, hands on their weapons. Tiael rose to her feet, wondering how long she had slept; one hour maybe, judging by the position of the sun.

The escort troop was lead by a blond woman, in a blue and gold riding cloak with a staff upon her back. The woman dismounted, ignored the guards, and went directly to the Inquisitor, holding out her hand.

“Tiael Lavellan-Rutherford, it is such a pleasure to meet you, in person,” the woman shouted with joy.

“Maevaris Tilani, am I right?” Tiael supposed with a smile.

“Good guess.”

The women had already met a few times through the shared crystal, Maevaris being often with Dorian in his office when Tiael contacted her dear friend. But they only spoke a few times, often to tease their common friend. The Inquisitor already liked her.

Maevaris was taller than her, her thin, muscular stature and the way she carried herself subtly revealed her station. Her wavy blond hair barely touched her shoulders and fluttered in the arid breeze, while her fascinating blue eyes studied people with an intensity that suggested she could analyse a person body and soul in a glance. When she spoke, her low and seductive voice carried a hint of cunning.

“And I suppose this beautiful man coming to us is your husband.”

The elf turned and nodded when she saw him. She smiled at him, noticing he bore his command bearing, back straight and proud despite the horrible clothes.

“Commander Rutherford, I am Maevaris Tilani, Dorian’s friend and your escort to his domain.” She annouced.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Tilani.” Cullen bowed his head. “I’ll prepare the horses, I’m sure you have a lot to talk about.”

They watched him leave in silence, Maevaris rising an amused eyebrow.

“Like every tactician I know, he needs to see who has entered the battlefield. Good to see I’m an ally, I really wouldn’t want him as my enemy.”

“And you can see this in few seconds?” Tiael questioned.

“My dear, I have learned to analyse people as soon as I meet them. It’s the best way to survive in the spider’s nest that is the Tevinter court. Don’t worry, I’ve gauged you, too.” Maevaris explained. “I don’t want to hurry you, but I promised Dorian to be quick. You know how he can be when under pressure.”

“Let me guess, he is fussing at everyone because the tables are not prepared to his liking nor is the meal ready because some ingredients are missing.”

“When I left, he was screaming at his domestics because the rooms were not ready yet.” The blond Tevinter sighed with an amused exasperation, which disappeared when she saw Tiael’s eyebrows frowning.

“Domestics? I thought he had...slaves” The Inquisitor said with a hint of surprise.

Maeveris leaned closer and murmured, as if spies were everywhere.

“Since Fen’Harel has returned, many slaves left their masters to join him. Dorian and I managed to convinced the Magisterium to have domestics instead of slaves and offer them a better situation to halt the leaving.” She murmured, eyes fixing upon the soldiers.

“Did it work?”

“Better than Dorian and I expected, worse than the Magisterium wanted … so, our little ‘experiment’ was stopped, except for Dorian, some allies, and I.”

“Maevaris, are you avoiding me?” The Iron Bull asked, interrupting them and crossing his arms.

The mage smiled and put her arms on the large biceps of the Qunari.

“Of course not, I was only enjoying my first real meeting with this wonderful woman. You seem in a good shape, Bull. I’m glad to see you. But maybe we should continue this talk on our way to Dorian’s house, or we will be awfully late for Dorian’s heart.”

“I’m gonna give my orders to the Chargers and we can leave.”

“Fine. I’ll show the authorizations to the guards while I wait. Come with me, my dear Tiael.”

She took the elf’s arm without waiting for her answer and lead them to the guards; who were still watching them with suspicion. Maevaris talked a bit with them, showing the papers, but Tiael did not catch a word; she only learned Tevinter insults with Dorian.

The chief of the guards studied the authorizations with what seemed too much attention. Tiael already gathered that he did not want to let them pass and he was trying to find a weakness in the paperwork.

“So, she is the Inquisitor. If she can prove it, they will pass.” He announced with a strong and cold Tevinter accent. He turned to Tiael. “Show me a magic trick with your hand.”

“Are you kidding?” Tiael said, her voice deep and calm.

“Do I look like a joking person? You don’t show your power, you stay here.”

Tiael clenched her first, ready to punch him in the face; even if she knew it was an awful idea. But the hand of Maevaris on her shoulder distracted her from this stupid act.

“Let me handle this, my dear. He’s not worthy of your anger.”

“Do you know who I am?” The chief spat with fury.

“I don’t know who you are, as I bet you don’t know who I am either; or you would not talk to me like the little spoiled child you are. Do you see the signatures of the members of the Magisterium, this one is mine” she added, pointing to the signature with her fingers. “And if you don’t let them pass, I can assure you that you will finish your career at the frontier with the Qun, and you know how awful this place is.”

During her lecture, her sweet smile never faded; which made her threats more … threatening. Tiael was glad to be on her good side.

The chief jabbered through some excuses before giving them the permission to cross the frontier.

“I hate doing this.” The magister sighed. “But sometimes, they leave me no choice. Well, time to move to Dorian’s house, he must be so impatient.”

When they joined the others, Tiael’s and Cullen’s horses and possession were ready. Iron Bull tarried in his farewells to his Chargers, his tone betrayed his sadness but he remained dignified.

Dorian’s mansion lay at few hours from the border. They rode under the sun to the whisper of a hot wind. Tiael nearly missed the fresh air from Skyhold.

Her eyes wandered as she observed the Tevinter landscape, since she had never seen it before that day. It bore more green than she expected, with trees she could not have imagined. The trunks were huge and surprisingly dark, offering a great contrast with the sweet green of their giant leaves; which hung low nearly touching the ground. Every tree had liana with yellow or white flowers; and a smell of mature fruits escaped from the forest.

The little troop crossed some patrols on their way, they bowed when they saw the magister; but the others could still feel a hint of suspicion towards them. Tevinter will be a great voyage if all the guards reacted like this.

The ride seemed to last an eternity. The sun shone dreadfully on them, such as Tiael felt like a cooked through slab of meat. Drops of sweat rolled down her back and under her arms, while her muscles ached from the ride. The blissful dream of a bath and a sleep became a need with every step of their prolonged journey under the awful heat.  
The loud pants from Rufus distracted her, the poor dog walked slowly behind his master’s horse, his tongue dangling. Cullen briefly stopped his horse to give some water to mabari, which resulted in a bark of satisfaction. Only Maevaris and Krem seemed unphased by the heat, even the soldier who accompanied them suffered from large beads of sweat trailing down his face.

_By the Makers, may this ride end soon._

The sun was beginning to go down when they finally saw the mansion at the end of a dusty road, lined by great trees, which offered welcome shadows. Even from their distance, the mansion seemed large. It had three floors and a tower with a round roof on the left side. Some lanterns were lit around the house, creating a nearly magical atmosphere.

The blond woman led them to the stable, where they left their horses; the domestics were quick to take care of the animals. Tiael felt a hitch in her heart when she saw those elves, even if they were not slaves anymore, they still bore frightened and submissive looks. She was sure Dorian treated them well, but did not dampen the pain she felt. She worked to better the fate of the elves in Ferelden, but she was powerless here in Tevinter.

Maevaris managed to free the Inquisitor from her thoughts and lead the way to the entrance; Cullen, Krem and the Iron Bull followed. To reach the mansion, they ascended marble stairs. Their muscles protested at every step, but they combatted the soreness with thoughts of the hot water and soft that awaited them at the precipice of their climb. There at the top, Dorian waited for them. His hair had grown since she saw Dorian last, and it was tied high, the sides of his head were short shorn. Some white strands streaked through his black hair.

Tiael fought herself to run into his arms, she missed him so much. But signs of affection were not well shown in public. She noticed him trying not to smile; he stood stoic with his hands clasped behind his back. When she reached the top and stopped before him, he rose a detailing eyebrow.

“You are terribly late and you smell like horse,” he pronounced, still studying her.

“You look like an evil magister and your perfume reminds me an old Orlesian noble woman.” Tiael replied with a false severity.

Maevaris leaned towards Cullen, a bit worried.

“Is this normal?” she asked discreetly.

“They are only greeting, no need to worry,”the commander replied quietly.

Tiael and Dorian at one another in silence, both arms crossed over their chests. Both battled against their laughter.

“It is good to see you, Dorian,” Tiael finally said, breaking the friendly silence.

“And you, my dear. Forgive me if I don’t take you in my arms, but you really need a bath and your companions, too.”

“You have no idea how much I want one! And also a decent night’s sleep,” the elf agreed with relief.

“Ha ha. Come, my dear, I will show you your room and your private bath. You and your delightful husband deserve only the best for your honeymoon.” He gestured toward the mansion.

Before they entered the house, Dorian greeted the others, even Rufus. Maevaris prefered to leave them and retreated to her room.

The inside of the mansion was also made of marble, the hangings were in black and gold. Dorian explained this place had been offered to his father many years ago, who did not come often here. According to Dorian, he did not like it, it was too massive and remote.

They climbed a staircase, then Dorian stopped in front of a door.

“This is your suite, with private bath as I said before. Dinner will be served in two hours. Oh, and I forgot ... the bad news!”

“The bad news?” Tiael replied, worried.

“Well, we won’t be leaving for the elven ruins tomorrow, since I’m hosting a ball here. The nobles of the area insisted upon it in the hope of meeting you. They seem to think it will secure them a rise on the nobility ladder.”

“Great, a ball. As if I missed that,” Cullen grumbled, unhappily.

“Don’t worry, commander, our balls are not so awful as the Orlesian ones,” Dorian assured, with a smile. “Now, my lovebirds, we will leave you. Bull needs a bath, too … he may need my help. See you at the dinner, we will talk longer”

“I always need your help when I bathe, Dorian,” Bull injected.

Tiael and Cullen rolled their eyes and entered the room while the other couple left for Dorian’s quarters. She did not take any time to observe the room; she fled immediately to the bathroom, where a steamy bath already awaited her.


	9. The Ball part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone,
> 
> Here is the new chapter, split in two parts. 
> 
> I want to thank GuileandGuile and Iawv for their great help :)
> 
> You can find me on tumblr : http://sephiratales.tumblr.com/

The decent night of sleep was more like a night and a morning. When she had woken up, Tiael was alone in the bed, which was not a surprise; Cullen had always been the first to get up. Usually, she would have opened her eyes and wished him a good day, but last night she was so exhausted that she had not even felt him leaving the bed. 

 

Now she had found the motivation to leave the comfortable mattress, strolling through the mansion, wearing a simple beige dress and also her prosthetic arm; a glass of a delicious cold mint tea in her hand. That poor servant had been so nervous that he nearly spilled the teapot. Tiael had tried to calm him and failed when she had smiled to him after he had finished filling her glass. Maybe she should have a talk with Dorian about his servants, about how to help them with their new status. She knew his friend would let her help the elves; she would speak with him about it during their trips to the ruins. 

 

Her eyes wandered briefly on the walls around her. They were all of an off-white marble outlined with golden accents, the floor had the same pattern except its outline was black. It made the place feel awfully cold and unfriendly, Tiael understood better why Dorian disliked this house. It was so ... unlike him. 

 

She arrived outside at the top of a white stairs leading to the lush, green garden. The heat rushed on her face, but it was not so horrible than the day before thanks to her dress. She caught an interesting sight in the garden, not far from the stairs:  Cullen, shirtless, training with Krem. She leant on the banister, a smile on her face. She briefly crossed her husband’s eyes and he gave her a smile before pushing Krem on the ground to counter his attack. 

 

“Be careful, you were distracted, Commander!” The Tevinter noticed with amusement. 

 

“Lieutenant Aclassi, if I was distracted, you would not be on the ground sassing me. On your feet, young man!” 

 

Tiael laughed softly, they were beyond help. She stayed at the banister, the perch offered her the perfect view. She could see their muscles rolling under the effort, the shadows of the trees playing on their skin, the perfectly controlled moves of their weapons, the Bull encouraging his lieutenant. It nearly felt like home. 

 

She often watched his husband train at Skyhold, it was a habit she began in Haven. Though then she often spoke with Cassandra or Iron Bull in order lessen  suspicion as to her true intent. Cullen  never noticed her little game and she could not be sure whether he knew about it even now. 

 

“Quite a view, isn’t it?” asked Dorian’s voice behind her. 

 

“Perfect for first thing in the morning” she replied facing him. “Good morning, Dorian.” 

 

“It is not morning, my dear lazy Inquisitor. Good afternoon, I was looking for you. We need to plan …”

 

“The visit to the ruins?”

 

“The ball, my dear.” 

 

“Oh, great,” she sighed with a frown. 

 

Her love of noble parties remained low. She did not like playing the Game, not being herself, keeping her mouth shut so the nobles would not be offended. And she supposed tonight, there would be no fun distraction of finding a traitor and fighting a demon and assassins in the garden. 

 

“Don’t look so angry, you will enjoy tonight.” Dorian promised, taking her arm. “Come, you need to try on your dress.” 

 

She rolled her eyes, holding a remark back. She let Dorian lead her into the halls and stages. They talked about both nothing and everything, sharing smiles and laughter. Tiael realised how much she had missed him, his sassy remarks and his often good advice. She missed their talks in the library or on the battlements after an evening in the tavern. She wondered if she would have deal better with the loss of her arm if he had been there. 

 

The mage carefully pushed her through an open door, where Maevaris was waiting for them. The elf look  at her friend, an eyebrow cocked. 

 

“Really, Dorian?”

 

“We will not be enough of two to avoid you slipping from this room. Both of us had some input about on dress, with a little help from Vivienne,” he explained, closing the door. 

 

“This is a plot against me,” Tiael mumbled. 

 

“My dear, it won’t take too long, as long as you just go along with the fitting,” Maevaris added. Tiael knew she was trapped by the way they looked at her. 

 

“The dress awaits you behind this screen. If you need help, I’ll be glad to assist.” The blonde mage said, leading her toward the screen and taking her teacup. 

 

The elf went behind it with a loud sigh. She stayed stunned when she saw the dress hanging in front of her.  _ By the Makers, it’s beautiful _ . With her right hand, she touched the fabric; it was soft under her fingers.  _ Do I really deserve such beautiful cloth? _ Carefully, she changed her clothes. Too bad there was no mirror behind the screen, she would have to confront the inquisitive looks of Dorian and Maevaris before knowing what she looked like; it made her more nervous than fighting a Pride Demon.

 

She left her protective shield, avoiding a direct eye contact with the mages. They were silent for way too long or maybe only seconds passed lengthily, both leaned on a table with their arms crossed. 

 

“My dear, you are perfect!” Maevaris shouted, with a triumphant clap of her hands. “Every eye will be on you!” 

 

“Oh, she only wants one pair of golden eyes on her,” Dorian added with a mischievous smile. 

 

“Dorian, I’m standing right here, and I can hear you.” 

 

“But you didn’t say I am wrong. You’ll be perfect for your dear husband.” 

 

She sighed, her eyes fixed on the ground and her face carrying sadness. Dorian straightened up, his amused look disappearing when he saw Tiael’s altered mood. 

 

“Did I say something wrong?” he worried, a hand on her shoulder. 

 

She swallowed and clenched her jaw before answering. 

 

“No. It’s just …”

 

She instinctively grabbed her prosthesis, searching for the proper words. She felt Dorian’s hand close  gently on her shoulder, she rose her head to see his reassuring smile. 

 

“Tiael, you are beautiful and perfect with or without your arm. I won’t allow your stubborn mind to convince you otherwise, you know you can trust me on this topic,” her friend assured.

 

She smiled, of course she could believe him. Dorian had always been terribly honest with her about everything, which had sometimes led to quarrels where they refused to talk to each other for three hours, at the most. They could never be angry with one another. 

 

At last, she finally saw her reflection in the mirror next to the screen and her smile widened; they were both right. It was the first time since the loss of her arm she did not think she was awful to see. She had avoided mirrors like the plague for a while, until that moment she still felt a growing sadness when she saw herself. Maybe it was the dress or maybe she had begun to accept her new appearance. 

 

“Glad to see that your dressmaker really has a gift, Dorian.” Maevaris remarked. “I should order something once. Now Tiael, I’m afraid you have to leave the dress here until tonight. We don’t want to spoil the surprise, do we?”

 

The elf glanced at the mirror one last time before changing her clothes. Maevaris gave her an appointment one hour before the ball, so she would have the time to dress up and to do her hair. 

 

Then, the mages freed her from the room and she promised them they would pay for this one day, with a tone to her threat that neither of them would take seriously. As she still could hear the sound of clashing swords, she joined her husband in the garden and made bet with the Iron Bull about the winner. 


	10. The Ball part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the last part of the ball :)
> 
> I want to thank GuileandGuile and Iawv for their help :)

Cullen and Dorian waited outside the room while Tiael was in the expert hands of Maevaris. He was also wearing special clothes: black trousers with a shirt of the same color, the outline of the shirt was in a dark blue. It was not a color he usually wore, but Dorian did not let him choose ; the mage told him he needed to wear this. Cullen had to admit that despite the color, the clothes were comfortable and noble at the same time. At last, he had a shirt with short sleeves. As for Dorian, he was wearing one of his complicated suits, all in black and gold. 

 

The commander let a sigh of boredom escape. He never liked waiting. In his opinion, they should be planning the trip to the ruins instead of preparing for a ball! He barely had the time to study the maps and the reports provided by the research team. 

 

“You should stop pouting, Commander. I’ve promised the ball will not be like an Orlesian one.” 

 

“We have things to do other than dancing, Dorian,” Cullen replied, crossing his arms. 

 

“Cullen, Cullen,” the mage sighed. “Of course this ball is at the wrong moment. Of course, we should be thinking about our next moves. But it’s the calm before the storm. As soon as we will leave for the ruins, it will mean we are going to fight an elven god, an ally, and even a friend for some of us. We should enjoy this evening, because we will be thrown in a storm quickier than we want.” 

 

Cullen averted his gaze as if he could avoid the truth; Dorian was right. The commander was trained for the war, but not everyone in this quest had. He thought about Tiael, thrown in the Inquisition and a fight she did not ask for. She deserved a moment of peace, even if it was a ball. 

 

Finally, the door opened and all the thoughts in Cullen’s mind suddenly stopped. He did not notice the satisfied smile on Dorian’s face. His eyes and mind were focused on his wife. Tiael wore a long, dark blue dress, the simple cut  fit her body perfectly. It had wide, transparent sleeves, and a silver reflection danced over the dress with every move. Her dark, red hair was only retained by two silver combs with white flowers. Her wedding ring shone on her right hand. 

 

_ Maker’s breath _ , she was so gorgeous, he was sure he was dreaming. Her smile made her shine with happiness. She took his hand and entwined their fingers. 

 

“Black suits you well,” Tiael said in a soft voice. 

 

He had still worn his usual clothes when she left to change hers. She found him very attractive and beautiful in his short, black shirt, which drew over his biceps perfectly. 

 

“Uh … well … thank you,” Cullen stuttered. “You … are ... Maker’s breath.” 

 

She bit her lip, some things never changed. He might make motivational speeches to his troops, but still struggled to talk about how he felt or what he thought about her; she found that adorable. Tiael did not need words anymore now, she knew what was in his mind. His eyes spoke for him better than his voice could. 

 

“My sweet lovebirds, shall I remind you people are waiting for us?” Dorian said, interrupting their moment. 

 

The elf blushed like a young girl, having totally forgotten they were not alone. Dorian and Maevaris observed them with amused smiles. With a shy smile, Cullen offered her his arm. She gladly took it and they left for the garden, where the guests and the ball awaited them. 

 

Lanterns lit the garden, giving it a  magical atmosphere. Long tables lined line the  dance floor in the grass. Candelabrum flickered on said tables, surrounded by food and drinks. Iron Bull was already eating, he had not changed for the ball. 

 

A band played near the stairs, with the strange particularity of having only a single drum, while vocalists sang the parts of the other instruments; they accompanied a female elvish singer. The nobles of the area were speaking together with smiles and laughter, no masks hiding their faces. Surprisingly, their clothes were not too excessive, even if there was a lot of gold on their outfits. 

 

The nobles turned their faces to the stairs when Tiael and Cullen appeared, followed by Dorian and Maevaris. A servant announced them in Tevinter and some of the nobles shared unpleasant looks. Tiael breathed calmly, she should have guessed that the nobles were not really used to see a free elf leading an organisation. Many of them moved to greet them, introducing themselves with names she immediately forgot. She sighed internally, the nobles did not seem to play a heavy Game, like in Orlais. They were only here to be seen with her, nothing more. She remembered the lessons Josephine gave her long ago, smiling at every compliment and saying nice words even if she did not think them. They were not welcome in Tevinter, she should not give them reason to send the Inquisition back. 

 

Their curiosity fed, the nobles formed little groups among themselves, allowing Cullen and Tiael to join the buffet, and the Iron Bull. Dorian and Maevaris were busy talking with another man, most likely a magister. Tiael fell into a chair with a loud sigh. She began to pick at her food as her husband sat next to her. 

 

“Nice job with the Vints” the Qunari noted, around the piece of bread in his mouth. 

 

“They were not as awful as I thought,” Tiael admitted with a little smile. “I don’t see Krem, has he found a way to avoid the ball?” 

 

“In a certain way, he has found a nice, pretty girl.” He laughed. “If he employs his charms well, we won’t see him until tomorrow.” 

 

“At least, one of us is having fun,” Cullen mumbled in his glass of wine. 

 

“Don’t be so broody, vhenan. The ball has just begun and it’s already nicer than Halamshiral; I also have a better dress.” 

 

“Boss, do you remember when …”

 

Cullen raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised and not listening anymore.  _ Vhenan _ , it had been months since the last time she called him this name. He observed her in silence while she was making bad puns with Iron Bull about the Orlesians. The commander could see she was feeling better, her disastrous humor returned and her laughter more sincere. He guessed she was planning a prank by the way she bit her lips; he was glad Sera had not come with them. In that moment she was happy, even if they were in the middle of a ball. Idly, her right hand found a place on his knee before she leaned a bit against him. It was unusual for both of them to publicly show affection; it meant she was relaxed and felt safe here. He was so proud of her, of all the personal battles she conquered. But he would wait for a moment alone to tell her. He just wanted her to enjoy the night. 

 

Another band played, it was more like a little orchestra with strings and flutes. Some people began to dance, including Krem and the woman with whom he had disappeared earlier. Her dark hair floated, leading Krem across the floor in his arms. The Charger chuckled, his gaze totally focused on her. Bull watched him with the satisfaction of a father, his eye a bit humid. They were adorable to observe, both a bit clumsy in their gestures. 

 

Dorian suddenly appeared before them, interrupting their observation and stretching his hand towards the Inquisitor. 

 

“As we both live with bad dancers, will you share this dance with me?”

 

“Sure, Dorian.” 

 

Those bad dancers crossed their arms in reply, both Dorian and Tiael tried not to laugh at their infuriated faces. Cullen and the Iron Bull could not deny there was a truth in the mage’s words. Except the dance with his wife at the Winter Palace, Cullen had never attempted another attempt at dancing in public. As for the Qunari, he never showed an interest in dancing. Meeting Tiael’s eyes, Cullen gave her an amused grin, her good mood was contagious. 

 

The Tiael and Dorian moved toward the dance floor and positioned themselves-one hand in the air, the other on the waist of their partner. They followed the quick pace of the music without hesitation, ignoring the surprised glances of the other couples. Another smile crossed Tiael’s face, she always loved to dance. With her clan, she used to dance with the other hunters during the feasts and ceremonies. During the Inquisition, she lost the habit, she had no time for it. Once or twice, she danced in the tavern with Dalish. And, of course, there had been the Halamshiral ball, where she enjoyed a dance with Cullen, and also with Dorian at the very end of the party. 

 

“You are still a good partner, the Tevinter rhythm does not seem to trouble you at all,” Dorian noted. 

 

“To be honest, I prefer the Tevinter music than the Orlesian. Surprisingly, it’s closer to Dalish music.” Tiael explained. “What the Orlesian’s play is too slow and soft for me.” 

 

“On this, I can only agree. My dear friend, I’m sorry to have spent such little time with you since you arrived.” His smile faded a bit. 

 

“Don’t worry, Dorian, it’s fine. I know you have a lot of work and a lot to manage. I’m not angry at you.”

 

“I hope so!” his friend shouted with a laugh. “And we will soon spend few days together, just like old times. I deeply regret that Cassandra is not with us.” 

 

“You mean Divine Victoria.” Tiael corrected, furrowing her eyebrows.

 

“Yes, yes, Divine Victoria. Don’t correct me like a child.” 

 

She bursted into laughter and he sighed with exasperation, he should have guessed she was joking. 

 

“I still make the mistake myself. You should the big eyes my advisors give me when I call her Cassandra. They are more shocked than the Divine herself!” 

 

Dorian laughed too, imagining the faces of her advisors; and to think that Cassandra had never really cared about their mistake.

 

The music changed, they took few seconds to adjust their rhythm. During this time, the elf glanced at their lovers. They had not moved, but Krem and the young woman had joined them to share a drink. Her husband was not listening to them, his eyes focused on her with love and adoration, a sweet smile on his lips. She knew he found her beautiful, his attitude spoke for him. 

 

A turn from Dorian broke the contact between them. Dorian grinned at her pride when her eyes returned to his. She leaned a bit against him and muttered, “Thank you for the dress.” 

 

“I’ll pass the word to Maevaris and Vivienne.” 

 

“Reassure me, Dorian. You didn’t disturb Vivienne only for a dress?” 

 

“No. We also have contact through a crystal, we were speaking about our little quest with Maevaris when the dressmaker came for some information and she joined in,” the mage explained.

 

“Except my dress, what did you talk about?”

 

“We have discussed the situations in Orlais and Tevinter and I wanted to know if she knew where to find our dear elven specialist witch. Unfortunately, she seems to be nowhere to be found.” 

 

“She has not disappeared. She is just discreet.” 

 

“You know how to contact her?” Dorian asked, raising an eyebrow. 

 

“No, but I know people who can contact her. If she answers, I’ll tell her to contact you,” she added.

 

“It may be too late, as I wanted her help for the ruins. Anyway, we will talk about this tomorrow. Tonight, we dance!” 

 

He quickened their pace to support his words, Tiael laughed in surprise as they disturbed all the other dancers, but no one dared to protest against the master of the mansion and honoree of the ball. 

 

When the music ended, they sat with the others, panting a bit. Dorian took a sip of a glass of wine and sighed with relief. 

 

“I’m becoming too old for this”

 

“Oh, Dorian, it’s not because you have a few white hairs that you’re already old. I’ve never met someone so young in his mind” the elf said, comforting him with a little pat on his shoulder. 

 

He glanced at her with an exasperated look, she made a funny face, showing she took pride in her words and also she tried desperately not to burst out laughing. 

 

Tiael never thought a simple ball could make her heart lighter, or even make her happy. Happiness was something she had been unable to allow to herself since the Exalted Council. Her inner circle tried to change her mind once she finally left her room, but there had still been a heavy weight upon her chest. Except tonight, the feeling dissipated and she enjoyed those precious moments with her friends. 

 

The conversation remained as light as the mood of the evening. Sometimes, nobles came to speak about the differences of their country and asked what the delegation of the Inquisition liked about Tevinter. If Josephine had been there, she would have been so proud of them. They all remembered her diplomacy lessons. Their well-chosen words brought a smile of pride on the nobles’ faces. 

 

A blonde tornado suddenly appeared in front of them, a glass in her hand and an intriguing smile on her lips. Maevaris had been busy all the evening, she was relieved to find a moment for her friends. She took a seat next to Dorian, her eyes focused on him and Tiael. 

 

“You have stolen the conversations tonight. Everyone was surprised to see the two of you dancing. “

 

“I was only showing my hospitality,” Dorian retorted with amusement in his voice. He knew people would be talking, but he was too glad to have given them a dance to his best friend to talk about. 

 

“I know, I know. But you were not the couple they have awaited to see,” Maevaris answered, her voice accentuating the word “couple,” her eyes suddenly fixated on the commander. 

 

“I don’t dance,” Cullen replied quickly, seeing too well what the blonde magister wanted. 

 

“A great fighter like you doesn’t dance? I’m surprised. Here, we used to say that dancing and fighting are two faces of the same coin. If you can do one, you can do the other. Are the rumours about your great fighting skills wrong?” Maevaris teased. 

 

Cullen only raised a brow, he would not fall into her trap so easily. He knew his skills and what he was worth in a fight. But something in his mind sparked with the insistence of the mage, something he already felt at the ball in the Winter Palace when he had seen Tiael dance with someone else. She loved to dance and he wanted to make her happy. 

 

He took her hand, watching her.

 

“Mrs. Rutherford, would you grant me this dance?” 

 

Too surprised to answer, Tiael could only nod her head with a happy smile. 

 

She quickly glanced at the dance floor; fortunately the nobles had already begun to leave the party. 

 

They both stood up in unison, naturally finding a place to dance. His hand at her waist kept her close. Eyes fixed on each other, they followed the pace of the music, ignoring everyone around them. 

 

Still smiling, the elf slightly tilted her head. 

 

“What made you change your mind?” 

 

“I thought it would be a shame not to dance with you in this beautiful dress. You’ve caught my eye all evening.” 

 

She blushed at his compliment, hoping no one else would notice. If they had not been in public, she would have kissed him and laid her head against his torso. 

 

“Thank you for making this effort for me, Cullen.” 

 

“I must say I’m enjoying it, too,” the commander admitted.

 

He made her turn with grace and then caught her tenderly in his arms once more. Tiael tilted her head, a bit appreciative, she did not expect such a move from her husband. She felt his arm on her back tighten around her as his heart beat a bit faster in his chest. He was blushing, his own recklessness startled even him. 

 

“Where did you learn this move, Commander?” Tiael questioned him with a teasing tone. 

 

“Josie might have thought that I needed dance lessons after the ball at Halamshiral. I’m sorry I never told you,” he whispered. 

 

“At last, you’ve just given me a nice surprise.” 

 

He nodded with a smile. Finally, Tiael decided to lay her head against his shoulder; after all they were on a honeymoon, they had the right to show their affection. 

 

The orchestra announced they were going to play the last music for the night. Cullen silently confirmed they would share this last dance. The elf admired her husband, staying for the last one despite his dislike of dancing. 

 

They both caught Dorian and Maevaris watching them with pride and satisfaction. Tiael supposed her best friend considered this ball as a success. He would be in a good mood tomorrow when they were slated leave. 

 

When the music ended, Dorian went to them, his hands clasped behind his back. 

 

“I’m afraid it is time to go to bed, my dear lovebirds. I hope you have enjoyed the evening.”

 

“It was great, Dorian. Thank you a lot for all you’ve done,” Cullen stated, his wife still in his arms. 

 

“Coming from you, Cullen, it warms my heart. Tiael, can I borrow you for a moment?” 

 

“Of course,” she said, raising a curious eyebrow. 

 

They made a few steps and then Dorian leaned in to whisper, “A little mouse may have left a gift in your bathroom. I just suggest that you can’t let Cullen watch you when you open it.” 

 

“Dorian, what have you plotted?” Tiael asked, a bit worried. 

 

“Don’t make this face, you will like it, I promise … and Cullen, too.”

 

She wanted to retort, but he raised a finger. 

 

“Hush, my dear. Now, I strongly advise you to go to your bedroom and enjoy the rest of the night,” he added with a wink. 

 

She obeyed, biting the interior of her lips to avoid a riposte, knowing her friend would refuse to answer her question. She was always suspicious about his surprise gifts, they both had a bad habit of pranking each other at Skyhold. 

 

Taking Cullen’s hand, she internally sweared that one day she would kill Dorian. The lips of her husband on her cheek made her quickly forget her curse. They slowly made their way into the mansion. Krem and the girl  disappeared once more, the Iron Bull  waited for Dorian, while he  spoke with Maevaris. The Rutherfords said a quick goodbye to the others and retreated to their room, where a special surprise awaited the newlyweds.


	11. Ever Dream (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter here and it's NSFW, you're warned ;) 
> 
> I want to thank GuileandGuile for her great help.  
> I also want to thank cullenstairshenanigans for her advice, danke !

Cullen was at the balcony of their bedroom, taking a breath of fresh night air. The ball with the Tevinter nobles had not been so awful. Of course, they were also playing a Game, but on a lighter level than Orlais. The food and drinks were excellent, all carefully chosen by Dorian.

He remembered especially the lovely smile of his wife, showing a happiness he had not seen since … far too long. Being away from Skyhold helped her, she was not made at all to stay and mourn in a room. And she looked so beautiful in her dark blue dress.

He went back into the candlelit room and to his surprise, Tiael was still in the bathroom. He sat on the bed, a bit worried.

“My love, are you all right?” he asked.

“I’m fine, I’m perfectly fine,” Tiael answered with a pensive tone, her mind seemed to be somewhere else. “One day, I swear, I’m gonna kill you Dorian,” she fumed in a low voice, thinking her husband could not hear it.

Cullen smiled–if she cursed her friend, it meant she was fine. He liked to hear her particular tone of voice when she was fussing about the mage, a mix of exasperation and love. The type of tone one could only have with a beloved brother–. Dorian was like one for her, and she was a sister to him; both quite protective with one another. The commander remembered when Dorian threatened to kick his ass or even worse if he dared to hurt her. And Cullen still had no doubt the mage would prove true to his word.

The door of the bathroom opened. Cullen’s eyes and attention were caught by something red and golden. He stayed still, struck speechless by the woman in front of him.

Her dark red hair cascaded around her in elegant waves, Tiael wore a beautiful red nightgown, made of silk, with gold embroidery. Stopping at her knees, the gown moulded to her curves perfectly. Cullen swallowed, saying she was beautiful would be so far from the truth. She was so gorgeous she seemed unreal. She closed the distance between them, facing him with a shy look.

“It’s a gift from Dorian … I was not sure … I hope you like it.”

“Maker … Tiael … you are ...”

He could not find his words and it made her smile, as she knew what he was thinking when he was unable to form coherent sentences. He gently took her hand, his thumb idly stroking the silver ring. His other arm slipped behind her back as he gazed at her with love and adoration.

She sat on his hips, a smile blooming on her lips. She tilted her and found his mouth for a tender kiss. His both hands wrapped around her, while her fingers traced a path to his neck. Cullen felt her tongue eagerly claiming  access past his lips, he was more than happy to oblige.

His arms tightening around her, Cullen caught the delicate cloth between his fingers with both care and strength. _Maker_ , he could feel all her love and desire in her kiss. And he wanted to return all that passion, but he knew he needed to wait for her signal. He wanted to be sure his wife agreed for more.

Kissing him with a heated passion Tiael dropped her hand to catch the lace of his shirt, untying it with haste.

He broke their kiss to catch his breath and observed her, her mouth was red and swollen from the kiss, her breath ragged. He could see a light of burning desire in her eyes.

“You know you can stop me anytime,” he reminded.

“I know, but I won’t.”

She caught his lips for a short kiss.

“I think I need a little help with your shirt. If you want to keep it intact of course,” she added with a devilish smirk.

He was sure she would tear it without hesitation. But as he liked the shirt, he helped her to remove it. Her hand crossed his broad chest, drawing his muscles, as if she had just discovered them again. He sighed under her feathery caresses, and his wife smiled with pride, she had always known how to touch him. Her fingers stroked his unshaven jaw while she scrutinized him in silence, her smile never fading from her mouth.

Leaving his lap to lay on the mattress, Tiael caught one of his arms and drew him to her. Lying above her, he kissed her languidly, a hand in her hair and the other slowly descending to the end of the nightgown. When his hand touched her soft skin, she let escape a little gasp of pleasure he cherished. Tiael closed her eyes while his both hands slid slowly under the cloth, her body shivering under his delicate touch, biting her lips. She had missed his hands so much.

He began to caress her thighs, then her belly, getting higher and higher until brushing her hard nipples, the cloth followed the movements of his hands. His smile grew when she moaned Her eyelids fluttered, showing her lusty gaze. His name escaped from her mouth in a delicious whisper. Cullen happily felt obliged to answer, his fingers lingered around her breasts, sometimes teasing her tits. He left little kisses under her breast, pleased to feel goosebumps forming under his lips.

“Please…take my gown off,” Tiael managed to mumble between sighs of contentment.

“As my lady wishes.”

In fluid gestures, he threw the nightgown on the floor.

 Cullen barely had the time to admire her body, she caught his mouth for a passionate kiss, her hand wandering on his muscular back, then her fingers began to play with the waistband of his pants. Slipping her hand under the cloth, she caressed his firm ass, getting a sigh of his still moving lips. He groaned when she brushed against his erection with a mischievous hum before taking the laces of his pants.

 “Let me guess, I must help you if I want to keep it intact?” he asked.

“How did you guess that?”

Her devilish smirk returned. With the look in her eyes, he was sure she could take the cloth off, but she did not want to. Reluctantly, he left her warm body, standing up under her gaze full of desire. She observed him, then her eyes followed his gestures, her smile growing more and more. She should have a very nice view, but he would not complain about his. Lying in the bed, barely naked, her pale skin reflecting the candlelight; she was simply stunning.

His pants now at his feet, Cullen wanted to join her in the bed, but Tiael raised her hand to stop him.

“You are still too dressed, Commander,” she said with a playful tone.

He still wore a dark underpants, which moulded to his erection. He crossed his arms, with an eyebrow raised.

“We have the same amount of clothing why do I need to take off the last one and not you?”

“Because it’s my decision and I just want to give you the chance to take mine off as well. I know you enjoy this,” she teased, brushing her fingers over the soft silk on her hips.

 Cullen could not avoid blushing a bit, passing a hand on the back of his neck. _Maker’s breath_ , she could be impossible sometimes.

 Tiael straightened up and moved toward him with a playful look. She caught his underpants with one finger, tilting her head.

“Maybe you need help to remove those, Commander,” she teased, a finger brushing the top of his hard length. Cullen let a growl escape, his eyes briefly closed, shivering under her touch. With a bit of help, the cloth fell to the ground. He leaned to claim her mouth for an eager kiss, his arms catching her in a warm embrace.

 His wife in his arms, he laid both of them on the mattress. Their feverish kisses stopped for a moment as he looked at her with adoration. He caught a strand of her wild hair and placed it behind her pointy ear. Sometimes he wished he knew the right words to tell her how beautiful she was.

“I love you. Maker, I love you.”

 “I love you too, Cullen.”

 She caressed his jaw, then trailed feathery kisses toward his lips once more. Their kiss was slow, languid, broken a few times by their moans.

 Cullen’s hands slowly glided to her hips, catching that last piece of cloth. He left her mouth, kissing her neck, her shoulder blades. Tiael sighed a few times, she moaned when his lips closed around a nipple and his tongue played with it, her hand gripped the sheet. Her moans became louder when he gave the same treatment to her other nipple. He enjoyed hearing the lovely sounds she made, but it became harder to resist her as she moved so deliciously under his body.

 Leaving her breast, he kissed her belly and stopped at the beginning of her underwear. With a delicate gesture, he removed it, brushing his fingers against her soft skin. She sighed while he was drawing her curves, his honey eyes studying her her.

 “You are the most beautiful wife I’ve ever seen.”

 “I hope so,” Tiael laughed, catching his arm and drawing him closer.

 He smiled and leaned in for a tender kiss, his hand traced a path between her legs and slipped to her sensitive part. She gasped his name with delight when he cautiously fondled her clit. Her nails dug into his back as her body arched against him Her teeth clenched her bottom lip as her eyes closed. His fingers continued their caresses, her moans increasing until  her body tensed of pleasure.

 Her arm tightened around his shoulder, eyelids fluttering, she tried to hold back her loud moan when the waves of her orgasm overtook her. Her vision briefly went white, her body relaxed in the embrace of her husband. Her ragged breath normalized, but her heart still raced. Meeting Cullen’s eyes, she smiled happily.

 “Well, that was … interesting,” she said with a low and seductive voice. “I wonder what will happen now.”

“I can assure you that you’re about to discover it,” Cullen whispered at her ear before biting the little spot under her earlobe.

 She gasped with a little laugh and caught his mouth once more. She opened her legs to welcome him. Slowly and intentionally, he thrusted in her. They both shivered once he filled her. Remaining still for a moment, they savored  the  completeness recovered in that moment. Then Tiael rolled her hips, encouraging him to move, Cullen did not hesitate to comply and matched her rhythm.

 At first, the pace was slow, they wanted to take their time. So many months had passed since their last time, they would not rush this precious moment. Her hand in his hair, Tiael gulped for air. Cullen took advantage of her break of their heated kiss to lightly bite the delicate skin on her neck. A moan of surprise escaped her and her body arched with pleasure.  He was glad to see he still knew her weak point. He bite once more, accentuating his thrusts, making her moan his name in delight. She tightened her fingers in his hair as their pace increased.

 Cullen’s hands gripped her thighs as he thrust deeper and deeper, growling when she dug her nails in his shoulder. Leaving her neck, he watched her moaning and panting with pleasure. Her dizzy eyes, her love drunk smile and laughter, the sweat beading on the skin of her neck, it was a view he never wanted to forget. But watching her was not enough for the moment, he still wanted to taste her, to feel her lips against his. He did not wait to allow the reality to match his thoughts. Their kiss was a mix of lips, tongue, and moans.

 Tiael’s hand suddenly caught the sheet, it was a sign her release was close. He let her breathe, kissing her neck, controlling himself in order to not come before her. Her rhythm became more erratic and he felt her tighten around him. She briefly sighed, closing her eyes. Then, a scream of pleasure left her mouth and she tensed, stilling under him. He thrust inside her a few times before releasing himself with a growl.

 She opened her eyes, her breath slowing again. Her hand stroked the jaw of her husband, who rested his forehead against hers. They exchanged few lazy kisses, both could feel the heart of the other beating against their chests. They stayed  in that position a moment, without talking, simply enjoying their love making and their closeness.

 Then, Cullen laid down beside her, taking her in his arms. He gently placed a strand of hair behind her ear. She laid her shoulder on his torso, her fingers wandering on his chest until finding his fingers to entwine them together.

 “Vhenan, I want … I want to thank you.”

 “For what?” Cullen asked, raising an eyebrow.

 “For being so patient, for being there.”

 He kissed her forehead and fixed upon her red-blue eyes.

 “My love, you’ve faced a lot of trials. It was normal to be with you in these difficult times. And I’m so proud of you, so proud of all the fights you have won,” he said with an encouraging smile, his thumb idly brushing her hand.  

 “And for the first time in  a long time, I can say I am very happy.”

 He hummed in agreement and kissed her with all his love.

 “Now, my little happy warrior, I think it’s time to sleep. A journey awaits us tomorrow,” he said.

 She nuzzled her head against his neck, sighing with happiness and exhaustion. The evening and the night had been long and he was right, they should rest to prepare for the next day.


	12. To the Ruins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank GuileandGuile for her great help and Uriellactea for her support <3

With the sun high in the sky, the group walked with their horses into a bushy forest, which offered shadows and fresh air. Curious, Tiael approached the trees to observe them. Near their thick and huge dark trunks, a dark brown nearly black, she felt suddenly small and safe in the same time. Lush green and round leaves hang from the branches, little white flowers hiding in their core, their delicate scent escaped with the help of the warm wind.

Closing her eyes for a moment, Tiael felt she was back home with her clan, exploring a new forest. Opening them again, she imagined the hunters sitting on the branches, watching everywhere. A smile crossed her face when she  could nearly hear the stupid puns they would cast at one another while patrolling. It still hurt to think about them, about her clan, but she preferred to think of them like this happy and safe in a new wood, one that might protect them.

Rufus trotted up to Cullen’s horse, his barking muffled by a stick almost as long as his body clamped between his jowls.. His master congratulated him and allowed him to keep it. The dog proudly marched to the front of their pack,  passing the Iron Bull, Cullen and Krem. Tiael and Dorian brought up the rear their group. Alas, Maevaris could not accompany them, the Magisterium called her for a really well-timed emergency.

The mage leaned slightly and murmured, “So, did you enjoy my little gift?”

Tiael smiled. “We both enjoyed it.”

“I’m glad to hear it. I hope it was torn in pieces.”

“Tearing such a beautiful gift in pieces? It would be a shame!” Tiael said in a tone rich with false outrage.

“Your lack of romantic nature disturbs me, my dear.”

The elf laughed at his statement and the despair in his eyes. Fortunately things never changed, they both had different sense of romance. They used to debate ad nauseum love and lust at the Herald’s Rest even if they knew they would never agree.

Dorian let the topic drop with a laugh. They both stopped when the Iron Bull and Cullen turned to watch them, like young children caught in the middle of a prank.

Tiael waited for their lovers to return to their conversation giving Dorian a grin. “And if I want to offer you something back, would you prefer hemp or velvet rope?” she murmured.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Dorian answered with an outraged look. “You know way too many things about me. Sometimes that makes you a pain in the ass, my dear.”

“A pain you still like after all these years, it says a lot about you,” Tiael teased, her grin becoming mischievous.

Dorian shook his head, raising his eyes in mock despair. “I can only hope you’ll stay remain so in the future.”

“If we have one … ,” Tiael said with a sad smile.

The mage brought his horse closer to hers, his face concerned. She could perfectly guess what he was thinking and she saw he did not like the tone of her voice, she knew he was still afraid she could fall once more into the torpor which caught her after the Exalted Council. He knew her too well to not see the hints.

“Do you have something on your heart, my dear?” he asked.

“It’s just … ,” the elf sighed. “Before all of this, I used to think that I could … that we could have a quiet future, with children. And … ”

She stopped talking and Dorian saw she was biting the inside of her cheeks, a sign tears might appear at any moment. Despite what she was trying to show, a fragility still hid in her heart.

“And I have the impression that Solas, my friend, tore my future in pieces,” she managed to add, controlling her emotions as her eyes first fixated on her prosthetic arm. Then, she looked up to ensure the three men in front of them were still caught by their own discussion. She did not want to worry Cullen; they had already talked about this.

“Are you angry against Solas?”

“I guess I should be.  He took my arm after all. To be honest, I’m not really angry,” she confessed. “I just wish he told me the truth earlier, but I suppose it’s hard to have the Dread Wolf’s trust after all he’s lived through. And I wish he could listen. That he could stop being so stubborn with his mad plan. 

“Your kind heart will cause your loss, Tiael.”

“Probably.”

“But at last, people could brag  about the fact a real elven god wanted your hand … literally,” the mage added with a lighter tone.

“What a nice epitaph!” she managed to laugh.

“Are you all right back there?” Cullen shouted. “We still have few hours to the ruins, according the map. Do you want to take a break?”

“We’re fine, don’t worry! We won’t stop until the ruins, Commander.” Tiael answered.

“At your orders, Inquisitor.”

Cullen bowed his head a bit with a little smile, a smile his wife returned  before getting caught in another endless conversation with Dorian. He did not want to disturb them any longer, knowing they had a lot to talk about, a lot to catch up.

He watched Rufus, who led the way. The mabari remained alert, and for the moment, showed no sign of danger. The dog briefly looked back at the party of humans on horses behind him.

“Your dog sees Boss is not as fine as she says,” Bull stated.

“She doesn’t want to worry anyone. I doubt that will ever change. I do my best to talk with her, and I have no intention of letting her fall into her own darkness again,” Cullen replied.

“Good to hear it. We were all terribly worried when she locked herself in her room.”

“So was I, even if I saw her every day…” he sighed

He remembered she had avoided everything--people, words, a touch. He had not known how to reach her, why she would not let him reach her. She stayed in the bed when he left, she was still there when he returned.  

The Qunari watched him and did not add anything, giving him some space. Cullen was really not the kind of person who confided in people; he and Tiael were perfectly matched in that way.. When they began their relationship, they had to make adjustments to communicate. Neither of them confessed their feelings until it became too much to bear. After a few misunderstandings, they had talked. He told her it was still difficult for him to tell how he felt, with all he had lived before Skyhold. She had admitted she was the same, but only because she still had in mind what her Keeper had always told her since she was a child : “Never trust a shemlen.” She had known her Keeper had been totally wrong, but old habits were hard to change. After this talk, they had both promised to be more open to each other.

_It is horrible not knowing how to help someone you love._ But when Tiael fell into her torpor, he felt useless, unable to help her. He used to take her in his arms, telling her she could scream, cry or even hit him if she needed to. But there was not a single reaction from her, not a word. What could he do? He didn’t know how to answer complete silence, being shut out completely. He might know how to lead her troops, to adapt his strategy on the battlefield, but how could you fight against the wall she had built around her mind?

He went so far as to  steal the crystal of communication Dorian gave her, thinking the mage could help him. Dorian had wanted to come immediately , but his duties and the distance prevented it. They decided to talk to her together, Dorian through the crystal. He remembered her reaction, her eyes becoming dark with anger. Her sudden scream--her first reaction. Her voice filled with rage, she felt betrayed by them, both of them, thinking they were plotting against her. Then she suddenly stopped screaming, as if realising how she sounded. Cullen touched her and she fell into his arms, tears finally falling. Dorian excused himself, leaving them alone.. Cullen could still feel her shivers, still see the tracks the  tears left on her face.

And for the first time in weeks, she spoke. She cursed Orlais, Ferelden, Celene, and Alistair for the Exalted Council, for stealing the Inquisition from her. She always felt trapped between only two choices she never wanted during the Council. She could not have refused to only have an honorific title. She lost  control of the Inquisition, lost an arm, and one of her friends was an elven god who planned to destroy this world, her home, her new family. It proved to be  for her shoulders to bare. She felt useless, nothing more than an embarrassment for people in Skyhold  to abandon. She could not even understand why did he stayed with her.

Cullen listened without interrupting her. He battled own sadness, his own failure. He’d missed it, all the signs, he hadn’t been capable of helping her., He had thought only the loss of her arm had provoked her torpor, he had been so far from the truth.  And he cursed himself for this failure. He succeeded in calming her fears, her despair; she finally listened, heard his loving words, and curled in his arms; she seemed so fragile in those moment. He swore he never had any reason to leave her, he would remain at her side to face these difficult times with her. He held his wife as she cried once more.  
  
"You're an ass! " Tiael shouted at Dorian. It managed to pull  Cullen out of his memories.   
  
He stopped his horse and turned to see what happened. They were both trying to argue seriously, but their tones often betrayed them. Cullen decided to let them fight and returned back to his place in their formation.   
  
Maybe Tiael was still not fine as she said, maybe she would still be changed by the last months. But seeing her teasing the mage, and casting smiles in her husband’s direction, for him that showed perhaps she was winning the battle against that dark sadness that loomed in her gaze from time to time.   
  
\----------------------------------------------------------   
  
The rest of the ride unfolded quite quietly as they approached the ruins. They talked about the road to follow or what they planned to do once they would arrive. As they would arrive during the early evening, they would have a look at the ruins and speak with the research team, which was on its second visit.   
  
The forest still surrounded them, but some ancient and handwork stones showed up on their road. At first, collapsed boulders, then pillars in ruin invaded by the grass and moss. Sometime here and there, what was left a building, maybe an ancient elven house? All those ruins around them meant they would soon reach the temps. Tiael wondered what kind of place they would discover. The research team stated it was a temple, but what would it look like? Would it have high spires? Would it be moulded with the forest? And to which god did it belong to?   
  
They began to hear voices and saw a path leaving the road. The group followed it in line, Cullen and Rufus first. When Tevinter soldiers came to them, tension fell a bit. Dorian showed them the authorisation to access the site and four soldiers escorted them to the camp. The place was built between three huge trees, looking very small next to the monstrous trunks. The camp, bore ten tents in two lines that bordered the campfire in the center. The duller brown tents housed the soldiers, while the researchers resided on the other side of the fire. Dorian had explained before they set out for the location that the Magisterium had sent a small and carefully selected group to avoid the Dread Wolf’s spies. Only humans lived in the camp, another protection against espionage. The soldiers’ faces were all hidden by their helmets. The researchers were all young students, lead by an old woman, who was currently shouting at one young man.

  
Tiael exchanged a concerned look with Dorian, she never like seeing anyone argue. She itched ready to jump in and separate them, even if she did not understand a word of their exchange.   
  
"I would not like to be in the place of that poor student," Krem said.   
  
"What are they shouting about?" Tiael asked, containing her urges and remaining on her horse.   
  
"I don't know exactly, but the student seems to have done something really bad."   
  
"Let's go and see, " Dorian suggested, taking the lead.   
  
The argument stopped once the researchers saw the mage. The student looked impressed when he saw them, he seemed ready to fly, but he was too terrified to move. He sweated heavy drops coming from his shaved head and falling on his round face. The leader of the team, a small stature woman, welcomed Dorian with a sharp tone, arms crossed. Her dark eyes seemed to pierce everyone who crossed them and Tiael found she looked like a vulture with her sharp face. A courteous smile managed to cross the thin line of her lips after a short talk between them while the others were dismounting. She observed the newcomers, her smile transforming into a ungraceful grimace. She was clearly unhappy to see them and was only waiting to make the point known.   
  
Focusing on something other than the displeased woman, Tiael's eyes caught sight of a form covered by grass and moss, nearly invisible if one did not look with attention or was not dalish. It reminded her the caches her clan used for supplies, only dalish could see them thanks to their better sight. _How could the shemlens find it? Maybe it was already opened… why?_ She rose her head to study the ruined temple. The building remained mostly intact, merely  covered over by  thick vegetation. Lost not to destruction but from disuse and forgotten to time and the wilds. Fortunately, her trained eyes could distinguish the form of the temple, she had the impression to see a simple hill, with no entrance to be seen. It reminded her a bit of the temple of Fen’Harel, though she hoped it was not one. She no longer possessed the Anchor. It could prove a dangerous prospect without it.   
  
"Sorry, I think I have misunderstood," Dorian suddenly said in the common tongue with a growing frustration.   
  
"No, Master Pavus, the temple is now closed with no way to open it thanks to the young man here!" the severe woman repeated.   
  
Tiael listened without moving, her eyes scanned what she could see of the temple, searching for any clue. As any of her kind well knew, there was always a way to open an elven temple. _Maybe here?_  Her face itched a bit, like a tiny flow of magic through her vallaslin.   
  
"I did nothing!" the student protested with a thick accent. "I was taking notes on the rune inside the temple as you requested and I was thrown backward and ... the temple closed."   
  
"We need to open it, we did not come all this way to camp in the forest," Cullen said firmly. Have you tried to open it?"   
  
"It’s not your matter what we have done. You just need to know it has a field of protection. An ancient one, never seen in our world," Magister Secci, it was her name, explained.   
  
"Have you seen or noticed something? Maybe something that seemed unusual? " Iron Bull asked.   
  
Secci sighed and took a paper from her pocket, placing it on the table.   
  
"Here is a text we found. We suppose it’s a warning only the follower of the gods could understand. We are trying to find its sense.  But it had been translated from old elvhen to early forms of Dalish and so on until a translation into Tevinter. You can read it, but there is a portion we could not translate."   
  
Dorian cleared his voice to directly translate it for the others.   
  
“The voices of tomorrow are a wolf's taming … Untranslated parts and untranslated parts …   Enter if you bow to the secret.“   
  
"It's unclear, indeed," Dorian added after repeating it once more. "Tiael, may we have your opinion ... Tiael? Where is she?"   
  
The elf had disappeared. Cullen sent his dog to find her, worry growing in his heart. Since they were here, he felt oppressed by the old forest and the ruin, he was sure something would happen. His bad feeling was confirmed when a scream tore through the forest, her scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I plan to do the NaNoWriMo next month, I don't think I will update the fic until December.


	13. Of Fire, Wind and Wisdom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Happy new year!
> 
> Here is the new chapter, I hope you will like it =) Sorry for the delay, but with the Nano and the lack of inspiration, it was hard to write. 
> 
> I want to thank uriellactaea and cometeclipse for their great help with the chapter !

Burning, her vallaslin was burning her face. She kneeled on the ground, a scream leaving her mouth; a scream which seemed to be hers.  _ Not again,  _ she thought,  _ not again… _

Flashes she had hoped to forget invaded her mind. A mummified, desiccated limb lying on the ground, fingers hooked like demonic claws. And the void threatened to swallow her once more.  _ Never again… please.  _

She wanted to scream once more, but this time her voice did not cooperate. She shivered, fighting against the ache which was spreading through her body. She heard voices calling her, strong arms suddenly wrapped her. She knew this smell,  _ Cullen _ ...

Cullen found Tiael kneeling in the grass, hunched up, her valid hand on her face, muffled screams escaping from her mouth. He sat next to her, took her in his arms, worried. She was not bleeding, but the pain twisted every part of her visage he could see. She shivered violently despite his embrace and his comforting words. Dorian was the next to sit with them, a hand on her shoulder, the other removing her own from her face. There was nothing, except pain to see. Finally, her breath calmed down and she finally noticed them gathered around her as she clenched her fingers against Cullen’s arm.

“We’re here, Tiael, we’re here. Can you tell us what happened?” Cullen asked.

“My…vallaslin…it burned me” the elf succeeded to say between gasps of pain, unable to open her eyes. “My eyes… I can’t…”

A cold light appeared in Dorian’s hands and he put them around her face. Her pained expression faltered a bit. He told her to slowly open her eyes and she succeed. She touched her cheek, her forehead to check if something had changed. She felt nothing different, not even a burn… _ Fenedhis, what was that? _

Cullen helped her to stand up, she felt still a bit dizzy. Once more, she touched her face, there was still a little itch in the lines of her vallaslin, a magical one.

Now, all her little group plus Magister Secci were around her. The old woman’s look was intrigued and she was watching Tiael, her hands clapped behind her back, pitching her thin lips. The elf could not bear her inquisitive look much longer and focused on her husband. He gave her a warm smile, his hand caressing her back.

Crossing his arms, Dorian was still a bit worried, his brows furrowed. She guessed he had also felt the hint of magic behind the pain.

“My dear, can you explain what happened?” the mage asked.

She frowned her eyebrows, assembling her memories, shivers still running through her spine. 

“I was wandering around the temple to find a way to open it. Because…well Solas had told me once, there is always a way. I thought I found something, a lever. And when I touched it, my vallaslin began to burn. I think I also heard something, but it was too ancient to understand it like when we met the elven silhouettes in Fen’Harel’s shrine,” Tiael explained.

“Whatever you did, you managed to open the door, Inquisitor,” Secci said, turning to the temple.

They all turned their head and saw the magister was right. Now they were facing a dark hole, breaking with the contrast of the forest.

“How is it possible?” Bull asked. “You told us everything had failed, even your magical attempts.”

Secci went brutally to Tiael, her cold eyes fixed on her face.

“Whose vallaslin do you bear?”

“Dirthamen,” Tiael answered, moving backward.

Secci tapped her finger on her chin, thinking. Then, she suddenly gave the piece of paper they had been examining before to Tiael.

“I know it’s ancient Elvhen, but maybe, and I insist on maybe, we have words or meanings that escaped us you might understand. Maybe we have failed to find the correct translation.”

She gathered her thoughts to be able to focus on her task, even if she did not feel ready enough to do it. She guessed Secci would not accept a refusal. Dorian leaned to her friend and murmured. “Magister Secci admits she is wrong, what a rare day in the History of Tevinter. If you can prove she is wrong, you’ll be in the books.”

“Apparently, I’m already in the books, Dorian,” Tiael answered frowning.

“A great living legend. Wait my dear, I will translate for you the Tevinter.”

She carefully listened to him, then she focused on the writing. Of course, she could not understand everything, but she quickly noticed that some double senses had escaped the translators. She found a sentence she could understand better than the others and the meaning seemed totally wrong for her. 

“Here. It doesn’t mean bow the secret, but kneel to the secret. The kneel used here indicates it’s about servant. I suppose it means only the followers, or slaves of Dirthamen can open the door,” she explained.

“I guess if you don’t kneel, something makes you kneel,” the Iron Bull added.

“A spell that can recognize the vallaslin, yes. That’s the sort of things ancient elves could do, we already had bad surprises on other research locations” Secci confirmed. “Is there something else we could correct?”

The elf examined the paper once more, speaking for herself in elvhen. Her eyebrows furrowed once more, some words in a sentence made her doubt about their meaning. 

“Rhenan’Mahvir…The place in the sentence is strange for the meaning you gave in the translation.”

“So how would you translate it, Inquisitor?” the Magister questioned with a hint of irritation, insisting on her title. 

Tiael bit her lower lip, resisting the urge to retort a sarcasm, especially as she was not a position of strength. 

“To be honest, I don’t know. Most of the words don’t make sense for me either,” she admitted. “It could be an old term for prophecy…”

“Or a code of how to defeat the Dread Wolf, that’s what we suspected in the first line,” Secci cut, taking the paper from Tiael’s hand and looking at her as if it had been a terrible waste of time. 

Tiael crossed her arms the best she could; she was still not used to her prosthesis. Usually, she would have made some smart comments, but she was too tired for a fight of words and she was also worried. If a spell on the door could have made her kneel, what unpleasant surprises would she find once she was inside? Because whatever the others or Secci would say, she intended to search the temple. She needed to focus on something other than the memories in her mind. If Secci was right and they found a way to defeat Solas, it would be hers and she would bring it back to Skyhold. Solas was her fight and no one else would interfere, especially not an unpleasant Magister.   


But for the moment, she needed to rest and especially to sit. Her head began to spin as the magic tickled her vallaslin once more. She had the feeling she would not enjoy the visit to the temple. 

Cullen’s grip suddenly tightened on her; she did not really notice she was losing her balance. 

“Come, let’s see if we can find a tent for the night. We all deserve a good night of sleep,” he said, wrapping his arm gently around her waist. He was right, the sun had began to set.

She saw by how he looked at her that he knew she had something on her mind and he would like to talk about when they were alone. 

The Tevinter soldiers showed them a tent in the part where the archeologists slept. Their tent was next to a big blue one with a symbol of the Magisterium, without a doubt the tent of Secci. Tiael supposed it was a kind of honor to sleep next to her and she wondered if Dorian would also have one like this. 

Their light brown tent was a bit smaller than the Secci’s and Cullen needed to bend a bit to enter. A bedroll large enough for only one person laid on the ground; fortunately they both liked to sleep entwined with each other. Rufus passed his large head through the opening and studied the place for few seconds, then he decided to stay in front of the tent with a bark. 

Tiael fell on the thin mattress, her hand on her face, arms resting on her lifted knees. She felt exhausted and her skin still remembered the burning of the vallaslin. Cullen took off his sword and shield before joining her on the ground. He gently kissed her temple and stroked her face, making her smile shyly. She let him wrapped her in his soft embrace, the pain slowly disappeared. 

They stayed quiet for a moment, hearing Dorian outside complaining in Tevinter about something that made Krem laugh. 

Then Cullen lowered his head to catch his wife’s strange eyes and drew her attention. 

“You intend to enter this temple, right?” he asked knowing already her answer. 

“Yes,” she confirmed. “And you don’t like the idea…”

“With what happened earlier, my worries seem justified. It’s not a good idea for you to enter.”

“But I’m an elf and the research team could miss important things. And I need to go there, Cullen. I promised to save Solas from himself and maybe the solution lies in this temple.” 

Cullen stayed silent for seconds. He could tell her he promised to not let her fall into another pit of suffering. He was afraid that the temple would only pained her instead of finding something to stop Solas. He did not have the same hope as her to save Solas. But he saw in her eyes she was determined and knew the talk could become an argument. 

“You’re a stubborn woman,” he sighed. “If you want to go there, we will go tomorrow.” 

Following her was the only good answer he found, he knew she was unable to hear a “no”. If he had tried to forbid her to go in the temple, she would have slipped from his arms during the night and go alone. She had always been very good at disappearing and she had done this before and worried a complete camp for two or three hours. 

“Tomorrow, “ she promised with a yawn. 

“I’m going to get some food. Stay here, I won’t be long.” 

She nearly fell back with exhaustion on the bedroll, keeping her eyes opened the best she could, while her husband left the tent, his dog following his steps. 

Cullen went to the food storage, taking advantage of this moment to announce the expedition to the other members of their team, all aligned on a dead trunk. None seemed surprised; then Dorian asked about Tiael and showed a certain relief when he heard she was resting calmly in the tent. During this time, his mabari sat next to the Iron Bull, looking at him and his food with puppy eyes, the Qunari seemed unable to resist him and shared his meat. The talk stopped here and the Commander chose some food before returning to his wife. 

When he entered, he found her already deeply asleep and could not avoid a little smile.

\-----------------------------------------

Despite the protection of the trees, a wet warmth invaded the camp on the morning, beads of sweat already appeared on skins. But the Tevinter people did not care about that, soldiers wrapped in their shiny armor without flinching and the research team not bothered by their layers of clothes. 

Tiael was leaning against a tree, watching the research team talking from afar. Apparently, the event of the day before had dishearten them to visit the temple with her little group. Even if she could not understand a word, she knew they had some difficulties naming a guide and Dorian, who was speaking with them, let escape a frustrated shout before leaving them alone. He joined her, cursing against them and their irrational fear of the bureaucracy. Tiael did not ask for more details and waited for him to calm down. 

“Where are our warriors?” the mage asked, putting his hands on the sides of his waist. 

“Training I suppose, as they have all ready to leave since the dawn,” Tiael answered, biting the corner of her lip. “So, no one wants to accompany us?” 

Her question was purely rhetorical. 

“No, especially since a rumour about the fact you may explode has appeared,” he explained with a hint of despair in his voice. 

“I may explode?!” 

As if the nightmares from the night had not already been difficult to bear, now stupid gossip about her were spreading. She should be used to it, but right now she was not. She really did not need rumors of explosion around her.

“A strange logic between the fact your vallaslin burned and I don’t know what stupidity crossed their minds.” 

“We should go without them. We don’t need frightened people on our side,” she coldly announced; she was furious about the stupid rumor. 

“They won’t like it.”

“We’re not here to do something they like, Dorian, it has never been our job.” 

She realized she was being aggressive towards her friend and she sighed. It was unfair, it was not his fault. 

“Maybe you should tell them we will explore the temple to secure it and if we come back alive, it means the place is safe,” she proposed. 

“I prefer when you think like this, my dear Tiael. Fine, I’ll propose your wonderful idea. At last, we won’t have them to disturb us. While I’m convincing them, you should tell our warrior to be ready.”

“I’ve told you they are ready, but fine, I will go to them so you won’t have to bear my Inquisitor’s eyes,” she said with an amused smile. 

She crossed the little distance between her spot and the improvised training ground. She saw Rufus and the Iron Bull carefully observing Krem and Cullen, the dog barked sometimes at the actions of his master. The Qunari still had his great axe in his hands and Tiael regretted missing the fight between him and her husband. 

The two other men were fighting with a deep seriousness, Tiael did not have it in her heart to interrupt them. The commander was still giving advice to the young man to correct his position or his angle of attack. 

“Boss’s here, time to stop your training!” Bull shouted. 

The fighters lowered their weapons, Cullen cleaned the sweat on his face, and they both joined the others. 

“Inquisitor, can we leave for the temple?” Krem asked with impatience. 

“We just wait for Dorian and we can go...only us,” she specified. 

The two Chargers sighed of relief while Cullen finished packing their stuff. He gave Tiael her prosthetic bow and quiver. She felt her heart tighten, her mind wondering what would happen inside the ruin and how the building would react to her vallaslin. She had no other choice but go in the temple whatever would happen with her tattoo; no one else but her would take the solution to save Solas. 

Dorian joined them a moment later with a positive answer: they would be alone, but they had to make a detailed report once they were out of the ruins. No one was really surprised, but none of them wanted to write the report. They would see who should do it once they were out. Tiael made a horrible pun about being unable to give a hand. Bull laughed at her bad joke, while Dorian and Krem rose their eyes in despair at their disastrous sense of humor. 

They made sure they had packed all their stuff under the curious gaze of the research team, gossiping in Tevinter. Tiael did not need to understand to know the subject of their talks; she had observed people long enough to guess when she was the center of their conversation. She felt Dorian’s hand on her shoulder and he gave her the look meaning she should not notice them. He was right, she had to focus on their mission. She was used to stupid gossips after all. 

Walking towards the temple, she checked the bindings of her bow as she wanted to avoid a bad surprise once in the ruin. As she got closer to it, time seemed to slow down and her heart beat faster, she could feel sweat of anguish forming on her neck. Her mind was screaming to flee, the pain of her vallaslin still vivid. She swallowed when she saw the door was closed. 

Tiael was afraid and furious. Afraid to live the suffering once more, furious because she had to kneel to open the door. Her bow twisted in a strange way, her knees touched the ground and she waited for the pain to come. A wave of magic rushed her face and she stopped breathing, Dorian gasped behind her, he had felt it too. A loud creaking came from the door, which slowly opened under her surprised eyes. The magic in her vallaslin was gone without pain, the cavernous temple awaited them. 

“Tiael, are you alright?” Cullen asked, unable to hide his worry. 

“I think so,” she answered standing up. “I’ve bowed voluntarily, the temple did not need to hurt me. But I’m not reassured for all that.” 

“But we need to go there, boss.” The Iron Bull added. 

“But we need to go there,” she repeated while Krem lit a torch. 

They walked silently into the ruin with the impression of entering the mouth of a monster, with the awful smell of stagnant water and putrefaction. Tiael felt nauseous, she saw she was not the only one, Krem and Rufus did not feel well either. Fortunately, the fresh air from the outside reduce the fetidness; Tiael hoped the door would not close behind them or they would not survive long. 

The so-called temple did not looked like one, at least from what they had seen in the old elven buildings. The walls were smooth and gray, no carving to be seen,  _ a secret temple for the god of secrets maybe?  _ The stone tunnel, barely large enough for them to walk in a  line and with a low roof nearly touching the Qunari’s horns, descended in a slight slope, swallowed by the darkness. Instinctively, they all had their weapons in their hands, all nervous excepted the mabari. He was curious but not frightened or on his guard. He waited for Cullen’s order. His master slightly shook his head and the dog led the way, set the pace for the humans. 

The group sank in the cavern, walking slowly to detect potential traps or enemies. In the last temple of Dirthamen they had visited, walking corpses attacked them and they expected the same here. Strangely, the atmosphere was totally quiet, dead. It was just a long and boring tunnel, which meant something powerful and deadly awaited for them at the end. The elven spells could last for centuries, even millennia. Tiael had no doubt the spells here would still be active. 

Rufus slowed down before sitting at the end of the tunnel with a little bark. The walk had been shorter than they expected, nothing had wanted to harm them for the moment. 

“It’s a disappointing place,” Dorian said, crossing his arms. “Even the end is an obvious one.” 

He was right, the tunnel ended with mosaic door, just like in the Fen’Harel’s or Mythal’s shrines. And the way to open it was also obvious. Tiael passed towards Rufus and stood in front of door, wondering if she needed to kneel or not. 

“Are you sure it’s a good idea?” her husband questioned.

“Absolutely not.” 

Her tone revealed her nervousness. The door suddenly lit and a large ray of blue light caressed Tiael’s face, followed by the sound of an unlocking bolt. The two panels of the door opened, squeaking.

“Be careful, Inquisitor, it’s too easy,” Krem said. “There’s certainly a trap behind this door.” 

She silently agreed with him, he came next to her to light up the room the panels revealed. At first, another fetid breath of air caught their lungs, making them cough and irritated their throats. The torch showed a little altar in the dark room and Tiael froze in horror. 


	14. Old Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> The new chapter is finally here! I want to thank cometeclipse, guileandgall and uriellactaea for their help and support =)

“An orb … we came all this way for a fucking orb!” Tiael shouted, unable to control herself.

Saying she was furious was far from the truth. No, she was not furious, she was terrified. Her valid hand shook uncontrollably while her bow hung along her thigh. Her eyes were fixed on the altar with a mix of anger and terror, her breath ragged with panic, she was at the edge of screaming. It was a nightmare, it was the only solution, there was no elvhen orb in front of her. Soon, Cullen would awake her because she was screaming in her sleep, it had to happen, it had to …

“No …” she murmured, her whole body shaking.

She paced in circle around the little stone altar, attracted and repulsed by the dark blue orb laying on it, her eyes unable to leave it. Flashes of the Conclave, of Corypheus, of Haven, of the Qunari’ attack, of Solas, and of her gone limb invaded her mind in a random order. All vivid, all painful.

“Tiael.” Cullen’s voice succeeded in helping her regain control of her mind.

Her pace calmed, Rufus approached her with whines. But her eyes could not leave the orb.

“The orb … it’s real.”

“Yes,” Cullen confirmed, joining her, his hand on her back and watching her with attention.

“I … I … I’m sorry …” she stuttered. “I can’t … it’s an elvhen orb!”

She saw Dorian approaching the altar from the corner of her eye, and he leant to observe the orb.

“I can’t feel magic, it’s deactivated,” the mage said.

“Touch it if you want, but I won’t sacrifice my other hand!” the elf spat in horror.

“I hear your reluctance, my friend,” Dorian answered, ignoring her tone. “But first, we must decide what to do with it. Maybe we can leave this horrible room to talk.”

She nodded, she needed to have this thing out of her sight in order to think. Once outside the room, she sat on the cold ground, her back against the wall. She took off her bow and took her face in her right hand. The others remained silent, thankfully waiting for her to gather her thoughts.

She wanted what was in the temple, she had confirmed the fact multiple times. But an orb … she had not expected that. _What a fool she was._ It should have been a possibility, but none of them had thought about it. If Fen’Harel had one, it was logical the other gods also possessed their own orbs … but they were not supposed to be easy to find! Or maybe they were so difficult to activate they did not need great protections, only to be hidden. Tiael looked at the open leaves and sighed.

“We need to take it to Skyhold, I don’t want to let this orb remain here,” she announced indifferently despite how the idea repulsed her.

“And what we will do with it?” Cullen asked.

“I’ll contact Morrigan once we are back in Dorian’s mansion. She will come to Skyhold, she must have some information or at least expertise because the only other one who could answer us is our enemy.”

“I don’t really see how she could help with such an old artifact,” Iron Bull said.

“She drank from the Well of Sorrow and her mother had the soul of an elvhen god or is an elvhen god. It’s quite confusing.”

She closed her eyes, her head resting against the cold stone. The idea of having this thing by her side during the long journey back terrified her, even if the rational part of her mind told her they had no way to activate the orb: none of them had enough power. She was not sure it was a good idea to take it to Skyhold, but it was the only option she had found.

“Now,” Dorian began, “the other question is who will carry it to Skyhold?”

A heavy silence fell between them. It was clear to everyone that they would not let Tiael have it, she had already paid a heavy price for an orb.

“Inquisitor, I will carry it to Skyhold,” Krem offered. “And I can wrap it in a layer of my cape and put it in my bag, if I may suggest.”

The elf watched him in silence, biting her lips. Still not answering, she stood up, her bicolor eyes still locked on him.

“Thank you for your offer, Krem, I will gladly accept it. Just … promise me you’ll be careful with it; we don’t know what could happen.”

“I will, Inquisitor. Ser Pavus, would you come with me to take it?” Krem added, picking up his bag.

The two men disappeared into the room for agonizing seconds. Tiael hoped the orb would remain inactive, but her imagination showed her images of Dorian and Krem wounded or killed by the orb. She shook her head to erase them, her fear could not win.

They returned quickly and Tiael’s eyes laid a moment on Krem’s bag, she shivered. The journey to Skyhold would not be a nice trip. She knew it would be hard for her not to think about this thing travelling with them.

“Boss, maybe we should hide our discovery and close this door,” Iron Bull suggested.

Hearing the Qunari’s words, Tiael retrieved her Inquisitor’s face. No feelings or thought could be read on her features, no one would be able to see the torment that caught her minutes earlier.

“There was no orb in the temple and we could not open the door,” she declared.

Her only answer was a general nod. Then, the two Chargers closed the heavy door; it required all their strength as Tiael’s vallaslin did not have effect on it anymore.  Dorian confirmed the magic was active again once the leaves were sealed.

Tiael retrieved her bow and fixed it between her shoulders, she knew the temple would not try to kill them. Was it even a temple? It did not look like one, especially not one of Dirthamen. But he was the god of secrets, his temple could also have different appearances. She shook her head, it was not the moment to ponder such questions.

The walk back to camp was silent, even Rufus made no sound as they hurried through the corridors. The main door stood open when they reached the entrance. They saw silhouettes, cut in the sunlight, waiting for them, without surprise, the silhouettes disappeared once the little group was in sight, returning to work and discussion, as the conversations suddenly became louder. Dorian sighed, mumbling about their lack of discretion; they were ridiculous.

As soon as the sunlight hit them, Magister Secci was there too, a cold, fake smile on her vulture face. Of course, she expected something from their trip inside the cave, something that could bring her more fame. Tiael guessed she was that kind of person and Dorian had confirmed it. The elf had no doubt the Magister would despise them and chase them from the site when she discovered they had nothing for her. Secci only saw them as a disruption, nothing more.

Tiael straightened up, the Inquisitor would talk with the Magister, she would not let Secci get in her way this time.

“Tell me what you have found,” Secci ordered.

“Nothing,” the Inquisitor retorted with the same tone.

“Nothing!?” the Magister yelled, with a choked tone. A vein appeared on her forehead and her face turned into a mix of anger and hate. “You elves are so useless.”

“I would choose your words carefully, if I were you, Magister,” the Inquisitor stated in a calm voice.

She knew her friends already had their hands on their weapons, even Rufus emitted a low growl. Tiael was used to those kinds of words and had learned to ignore them; the little pinching in her heart was an old memory now.

“Is it a threat, Inquisitor?”

“Simply advise,” the elf answered with a calculated smile.

Magister Secci tensed, thinking. She was certainly in a position of strength in numbers given the amount soldiers, plus the other archaeologists. She could begin a fight, but the Inquisitor had Dorian in her camp, a fight would not be a poor political maneuverer.

“You have one hour to leave,” she spat.

“Don’t worry, Magister Secci, we have no intention of staying,” Dorian added with a hint of irony.

If looks could kill, Dorian would have been dead. But Secci preferred to turn back to the camp, and Tiael discreetly sighed with relief. Apparently, her loss of power in the Inquisition had not been known yet here or maybe Magister Secci did not care about that detail.

The group went directly to their horses, all their stuff had been packed earlier, and Tiael had no intention to stay here. She even wanted to be back at Skyhold as soon as possible, the temple and the orb made her feel uncomfortable. Once at home, she would hide the orb in the secret library and only allow the elvhen and magic specialists to approach it.

She could not avoid observing Krem, worried for him and looking for even the smallest sign of activity from the orb. The young man gave her a reassuring smile, as her attention was quite obvious. She focused on her horse and on her tactic to climb, trying to forget the orb for one brief moment.

Fortunately, Dorian’s mansion lay only few hours away from the site; they would have a good night of sleep before going back in Ferelden. The secret mission had been accomplished, they did not have a reason to remain. Besides, Tiael could not enjoy a rest with this thing by her side in a foreign country. The longer they stayed in Tevinter, the higher the risk that someone would discover the orb or the archaeologist would manage to open the doors in the temple to discover its empty resting place.

Cullen thanked the soldiers and the archaeologists in the name of the Inquisition. Tiael felt eased not to have done it, she was not in the mood for diplomatic hypocrisy. Thoughtlessly, she checked her prosthetic crossbow was at reach while they were leaving the camp, as she always did; an old habit coming from days with her clan. The only time she had forgotten to check her weapons, she inherited the scar crossing her left eye after facing a bear weaponless.

During the return in the forest, she barely noticed the nature around her, her eyes unable to leave Krem’s bag. If Sera was there, she would certainly say that Tiael was paranoid. But the Inquisitor had no trust of the orb; how could she after all she’d been through? Feeling her gaze on him, Krem asked if she wanted for him to go behind her. She refused with a shake of her head; she needed to see it.

When the end of the forest was at sight, Rufus suddenly halted and growled, indicating a danger. In a second, everyone drew their weapons and raised their guard. Shadows moved around them, Tiael recognized the way they moved. _Why were Dalish hunters following them?_

As their presence had been noticed, the elves left the protection of the trees to circle them. They were eight, all wearing Dalish clothes and armors, but they wore no vallaslin.

“Well, shit,” mumbled Tiael for herself.

She had no doubt they were followers of Fen’Harel, strangely few of them to lead an attack.

“We’re here to stop you, Inquisitor!” a woman shouted. “We cannot allow you to disturb Fen’Harel’s plan!”

Tiael hardened her face, the idea of fighting her people hurt her more than she expected, and she did not want to fire her crossbow against them. Not without trying to talk to them.

“I know what he promised you, but did he tell you the price?” she asked.

 

“Yes, and it’s a price we’re willing to pay, unlike you, Inquisitor Harellan.”

 _Traitor to her kin_. They had no intention of talking, they just wanted her dead.

The elves shot the first arrow, she avoided it, jumping onto the ground. She saw a ball of grey fur passing in front of her eyes before landing on the shooter, its maw piercing the throat with no mercy. Tiael shut down her emotions, aiming in the direction of a mage. _Always kill the mage first._ Her bolt buried into the eye of the elf, who fell to the ground with a scream.

Silence fell on the forest, the fight concluded with too much haste; it was not normal. Tiael saw a moving form not far from her, one of the elves was still alive. She knelt next to him; he was so young. Blood flowed from his mouth, a large wound cutting his abdomen. His brown eyes met hers with sadness.

“ _Don’t be angry against him. He didn’t want … us … to … come,”_ he said in Dalish.

She nodded, taking a dagger in her hand. He would not survive, he did not deserve to suffer before his death. She put an end to his sufferings, a Dalish prayer on her lips.

She stood up, controlling her tears. She looked at the attackers, they were all so young … some of them still teens. The others members of her group watched her in silence, awaiting orders.

“We can’t let them rot here,” Tiael said with an unsteady voice.

“I will send people to take care of their bodies,” Dorian announced. “If there are rituals to do, just tell me about them when you’re ready.”

She nodded and climbed back on her horse. It was the first time she killed any of the Dalish, she felt like a betrayer, even if the choice of siding against Solas still seemed best. A voice in her head told her it would not be the last time.

The remainder of the ride to Dorian’s mansion unfolded in a surprisingly light way, Krem and the Iron Bull tried to change their Boss’ mind and it worked quite well. Her laughter was short, but sincere. Upon arriving at the stables with, she gave Dorian indications about the care of the bodies. Then she walked in the garden behind the mansion and found a tree. She sat on the ground, still unable to climb, feeling protected by its shadow.

Her husband joined her and squatted, his hand finding hers.

“I just came to see how you feel. I know you want to be alone for a moment.”

“I’m … tired. The orb, the elves, it drained all my energy,” she explained with a sigh. “I think I will nap here. If you could ensure that Rufus doesn’t have to urge to lick my face when I’m asleep, that would be nice.”

“I will,” he answered with a laugh.

They tenderly kissed, hands tightly entwined. Cullen stood up, calling Rufus. The dog ran to meet his master and walked proudly with him.

Tiael watched them leave with a smile; they were such a cute pair together. The fatigue caught her and she closed her eyes to rest.

When she opened them, she was not in the mansion anymore, but at Haven and the Breach was still in the sky. The place was empty, but did not looked abandoned, just like when she first visited the Fade with Solas. _Haven is familiar, it will always be important to you._ His words strongly resonated in her mind. Was she dreaming or …?

“You are in the Fade.”

She stilled, unable to believe what she heard.

“Your mind does not trick you, Inquisitor. You are in the Fade and I am here with you.”

This time, he gracefully walked in front of her, hands clasped behind his back, his face serious.

“Solas.”

He smiled with a little nod. This time, he was wearing his “apostate hobo clothes” as Dorian called them. He was here as Solas, her friend, not Fen’Harel. She was confused, feelings fought in her to be the first one to talk. Anger, happiness, astonishment, all were on the surface.

“I’m surprised,” she admitted, not really knowing what to say to him.

“I thought Haven would be a good place for us to meet.”

“Why are we … why are you here?”

“I owe you an apology, Inquisitor. I know some of my followers tried to kill you earlier and I am sorry. I told them I did not want them to trouble you, but they were afraid you would find a way to stop me, to stop us,” Solas explained with sadness.

“You knew they would come and you did nothing?”

He walked few steps in front of her, straightening, the elvhen god was back.

“I’ve promised them freedom, including freedom of choice. They knew the risks, they knew the price,” he explained with a hint of sadness in his voice.

Tiael did not know what answer she could give to him, a part of her wanted to comfort him, but they were still in different camps. But she knew how it felt to lose people who trusted and followed her. She remembered Haven and all the awful news Leliana had brought.

Solas’s shoulders slumped while he let a sigh escape, her friend was back again.

“And they were not the only who wanted you dead. But I’ve sent someone to watch over you.”

“Because you want me to live in peace for the time remaining?” Her eyes went dark; she was still angry about those words. A sad smile crossed his face and she suddenly wondered if he had ever be happy once in his life.

“Are you here only to apologize and to warn me?” she asked.

“No, I also wanted to tell you that you’ll be unable to activate the orb you found, but I suppose you had guessed that.”

“Yes.”

 _He knew_ , she should not be surprised. But he did not mention the writings found in the temple, she hoped he was only aware of the orb. She sighed, crossing her arms.

“My arms,” she said.

“May I?”

She nodded and extended her left arm, realising she still trusted him.

“Your mind has still not accepted the loss of your arm, but it is normal, it can take some time. Plus, the Breach is still in the sky, you still associate it with the Anchor and you still carry a bit of its magic.”

“What?” Tiael cut abruptly, panicked.

He took it off, the arm had been removed. She could not have its magic in her! Solas smiled warmly to calm her.

“You bore a permanent magical mark for more than two years, it takes time to get rid of it. But do not worry, Inquisitor, your life is not in danger anymore.”

He stilled and observed a place in the horizon, frowning.

“We’re not alone, wake up.”

She barely had the time to distinguish an elvhen silhouette before finding herself back on the ground of the garden. She blinked a few times, it had been a very strange meeting. She had not expected Solas to want to see her again and especially not to apologize. If he had not been her enemy, it could have been a completely normal conversation between them.

She tried to remember the silhouette she had briefly seen, certainly elvhen. It was merely a ghost, she could not say if it was a man or a woman. She remembered long white hair, could it be Mythal? No, the hair was free.

Tiael stood up, it was time to stop thinking about their not-really-lost friendship and the ghost, she needed to warn the others about his words. He knew about the orb and he may not be the only one.

**Author's Note:**

> I gave Tiael my awful sense of humor. The first title of this chapter was "In your Head Shall Burn"


End file.
